"Smart" irrigation controllers use weather information and/or site data as a basis for scheduling. This page summarizes results from real-world tests of climate-based "smart" controllers— which measure a variety of climate and site conditions.
Climate-based “smart” irrigation controllers
Irvine, CA: In a field trial, 40 climate-based "smart" controllers were installed in the homes of high water users (the top 23% of all residential water users) in the Westpark Village community of Irvine. Results showed that the climate-based "smart" controllers reduced outdoor water usage by an average of 16%, and have the potential to reduce it by as much as 24%.
Santa Barbara, CA: Initial data from a trial of climate-based "smart" controllers in Santa Barbara County found that historically high water usage customers reduced their monthly water use by approximately 26% through the use of climate-based "smart" controllers, with some customers saving as much as 59%.
Puget Sound, WA: A test of climate-based "smart" controllers conducted in Washington State among "very high" water users (those that use an average of 375 gallons of water more per day during the peak summer season than they do during the winter) reported average annual water savings of up to 20,735 gallons (or 27.7 CCF) per customer.
Boulder, CO: Studies comparing water usage at both residential and business sites before and after installation of a climate-based "smart" controller found an average savings of 35,000 gallons of water per site, per year (based on an average landscape size of .2 acres)
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