Weather-Based Landscape Irrigation Controllers EPA Water Sense t esidential outdoor water use in the United r^ States accounts for more than 7 billion gallons \ofwater each day, mainly for landscape irriga- tion. Experts estimate that as much as half of this water is wasted due to overwatering caused by inefficiencies in irrigation methods and systems. Cutting-edge irrigation control technologies can significantly reduce overwatering by applying water only when plants need it. WaterSense®, a partner- ship program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will help consumers and facilities identify weather-based irrigation con- trollers that can reduce water use in landscapes. Weather-based irriga- tion controllers use local weather and landscape conditions to tailor irri- gation schedules to actual conditions on the site. Instead of irrigating on a preset schedule set by a clock timer controller, weather-based controllers allow irrigation to more closely match plants'water requirements. By using weather-based controllers instead of standard clock timer controllers, home- owners, businesses, and organizations would no longer need to worry about sprinklers automatically operating when landscapes don't need water. End Overwatering Many homeowners and facility managers set their irrigation systems to water according to the hottest, driest month of the year, usually July. Throughout the year, the schedule is left untouched, resulting in a system that applies the same amount of water to the landscape in the winter as in the summer. This leads to periods of extreme overwatering. By using a scheduling system that tracks weather and landscape conditions and irrigates accordingly, weather-based irrigation controllers can reduce water use by 20 percent compared to systems with standard clock timer controllers. If every home with an irrigation system made this switch, it could save 150 billion gallons of water per year across the United States. Commercial and institutional facility irrigation systems could help save even more water across the country. Performance Is Key All WaterSense labeled products must be independently certified to ensure they meet EPA's water- efficiency and performance criteria. EPA worked with a variety of stakeholders to develop criteria and performance measures for weather-based irrigation controllers, based on the industry's Smart Water Application Technologies™ protocol for climatologically based controllers. The WaterSense Revised Draft Specification for Weather-Based Irrigation Controllers includes supple- mentary features, such as multiple programming capabilities, that controllers must have in order to receive the label. In the future, weather-based irriga- tion controllers that earn the WaterSense label must demonstrate that they meet the watering needs of a typical landscape, while not overwatering. Whether you are replacing an older, standard clock timer controller or looking for options to reduce water use and utility bills from your irriga- tion system, the WaterSense label will soon be able to help you identify weather-based irrigation controller models that are high-performing and water-efficient. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/watersense. January 2011 (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367) • www.epa.gov/watersense • watersense@epa.gov Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Process Chlorine Free Recycled Paper. EPA-832-F-11-001 ------- |