Posts Tagged ‘smart irrigation’

  • Water Savings from Smart Irrigation Controllers
    11.11.14

    How One Award-Winning Community Saved $58,000 in Water Costs

    Three years ago, the homeowners association (HOA) of Canterberry Crossing, a Colorado master-planned community, had an urgent problem. Their irrigation infrastructure responsible for watering the landscape of Canterberry Crossing’s 15 sub-communities and 2,500 homes was on the decline. Meanwhile water costs were rising—fast. They needed help. The first thing the ValleyCrest experts did once they came on board was a thorough audit of the irrigation system. Valve by valve, an irrigation tech noted all leaks or malfunctions and adjusted each... MORE >

  • Smart Irrigation Controller Installation
    10.14.14

    3 Brilliant Studies Support Smart Irrigation Controllers

    These three studies supporting evapotranspiration (ET) based smart irrigation controllers were from over 100 education sessions at the most recent WaterSmart Innovations Conference. The first two studies focused on what happens in regards to the way water and smart irrigation controllers are used in the field by real people. The third was a controlled study proving significant water savings from ET based smart irrigation controller. Where the Water Goes Morgan Shimabuku from the Center for ReSource Conservation in Boulder, CO... MORE >

  • Fall Tree
    09.30.14

    Fall Back for Water Conservation

    Fall is in the air and the trees are beginning to show their fall colors. We know when the time comes to change our clocks we will “Fall back an hour”. Now is also the time to “Fall back” on the irrigation run times to minimize water use in the landscape. Fall Means Shorter Days Shorter days means less sun and less time for plants to grow. Less plant growth means most plants need less water. The exception to the... MORE >

  • Smart Irrigation Month Coloring Book Cover
    07.15.14

    Is Smart Irrigation Really the Smart Choice

    July is the Irrigation Association’s Smart Irrigation Month. This year the Irrigation Association used a Thunderclap campaign to promote Smart Irrigation Month. Since this was the first year they had a modest goal, which was exceeded by 36%. As a result of the campaign at noon on July 7th the campaign reached over 130,000 people via Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. Being a good water conservationist I promoted the Thunderclap in the Alliance for Water Efficiency group on LinkedIn. The comments... MORE >

  • ValleyCrest worker adjusting a smart controller
    02.04.14

    Avoid Irritation With Smart Irrigation Solutions

    Don’t let your irrigation system leave you dry. With a few simple solutions and some proactive measures you can maximize the benefits and minimize the common headaches from your irrigation system. Read on, take note, and may your landscapes thrive and your headaches go away. Budgeting – Building your budget? We are here to help! Your landscape partner can give you budget recommendations outlining costs for ongoing proactive maintenance specific to your system including inspections, winterizing (if needed), system improvements,... MORE >

  • Gabi H2O edutainment cards for playing water war.
    10.15.13

    Edutainment: #1 Fun Way to Promote Water Conservation Behavior

    If you were born in the 1960’s or later you grew up with edutainment. (Think Sesame Street, Magic School Bus, Blue’s Clues, Dora the Explorer, etc.) Edutainment is the portmanteau formed by the words “education” and “entertainment”. In most cases edutainment is focused on school aged children who also happen to serve as a great conduit to help train their parents. My first introduction to child focused edutainment for water conservation was at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference in 2012 where... MORE >

  • Water rates continue to increase even as water conservation efforts increase.
    06.11.13

    Water Conservation Leads to Water Rate Increases

    Chuck Bowen, the editor for Lawn and Landscape magazine emailed me a link to an article titled “Inside Portland’s rising utility rates: Less water consumption means higher prices” and posed two questions about water conservation efforts. Landscape contractors and water managers have traditionally billed their water conservation services as a cost-saving measure: “Let us fix your irrigation system and you’ll save on your water bills!” If I’m reading this correctly, that might not be the case… Do you know if... MORE >

  • Wine and Water Conservation
    02.18.13

    Water Conservation on National Drink Wine Day

    Is it just a coincidence that President’s Day, February 18th is also National Drink Wine Day? Does the thought of the current or past Presidents increase your urge to drink wine either in celebration or in an attempt to drown your sorrows? (I imagine some of my friends on Facebook will chime in with answers to that question!) Can water conservation enthusiasts consume fermented grapes without feeling guilty? Why would anyone feel guilty about drinking wine? When water was cheap... MORE >

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