EPA’s WaterSense Program to Label Innovative Watering Technology
Nov. 7, 2011
Weather-based irrigation controllers can help save 110 billion gal of water and $410 million per year on utility bills
Source EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program announced that irrigation controllers will soon be the first outdoor product eligible to earn the WaterSense label. The most efficient irrigation controllers, which operate like a thermostat for your sprinkler system by telling it when to turn on and off, may provide home and building owners the ability to save 110 billion gal of water and roughly $410 million per year on utility bills.
“As much as half of the water we use on our landscapes goes to waste due to evaporation, wind and improperly scheduled irrigation systems,” EPA Office of Water Municipal Support Div. Director Sheila Frace said. “WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers are designed to do the thinking for you and apply water only when needed to ensure a healthy landscape that doesn’t waste water.”
Residential outdoor watering in the U.S. accounts for more than 7 billion gal of water each day, mainly for landscape irrigation. For many homeowners, the practice is “set it and forget it.”
When watering schedules for irrigation system are set during the hottest and driest months and not adjusted when the weather changes, the result is overwatering for much of the year. WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers, which monitor watering needs based on local weather data, can use significantly less water by applying water only when plants need it, reducing annual water bills and offering convenience and peace-of-mind while keeping landscapes healthy.
