If you couple these components with our rain water harvesting systems, you can achieve that 70% savings. Remember, rain water is FREE. It is also much better for your plants and turf than tap water. By adding rain water harvesting, the connection to the potable water supply is eliminated. That in turn eliminates the need for a backflow preventer, one of the highest cost components of a "typical" sprinkler system. As you may be aware, the backflow prevention valve must be tested annually (for a fee) and typically requires rebuilding every five years on average. These are major costs that won't be incurred with a rain water harvesting system.

Following is a listing of the more common high technology products that add to the efficiency and lower the operating costs of a lawn sprinkler system:

Rain Switch: The simplest, least expensive first step toward reducing waste in your sprinkler system is the inclusion of a rain switch. These components help save water by preventing the system from operating following a rainfall event. Adjustability includes rain amount measurement prior to operation prevention, as well as how long the system remains "off" before watering operation is restored. There are several different designs with several functional options but all are within a range of about $100.00 to $200.00. They are easily installed and will retrofit to just about any existing installation.

"Smart" Controllers/Timers: We recommend the use of one of the newer "smart" controllers now on the market. Most of them employ "ET" based technology. Some also utilize a dedicated weather station or soil moisture sensing probes. ET refers to "evapotranspiration". This is the scientific explanation of how plants use the water that is available to them. We as humans sweat to cool ourselves, plants evapotranspirate.

An ET based controller is actually a computer that considers a number of variables to determine water necessity. These inputs include plant material, sprinkler type, soil type, exposure, grades, sun, shade and a number of other variables. The controller then factors in weather data from a satellite transmission or on site, dedicated weather station. It may also utilize actual real time soil moisture and temperature data. Then, through a series of scientific calculations, the controller calculates whether watering is really required and controls the system accordingly. These advanced controllers have been in beta testing for many years and are proven to save as much as 50% on water usage with no loss of plant material. They have been available for installation in the Midwest since 2006.

Sprinklers, Spray heads and Control Valves: As mentioned above, not all sprinklers and valves are the same. Water-Tech Irrigation only offers products for installation that are designed to be the most efficient and water conserving. The sprinklers and spray heads we offer contain a number of technological advantages. They incorporate internal pressure regulating devices to supply the optimum pressure to the nozzle, regardless of how high the incoming pressure is. Many of these sprinklers also have the ability to turn themselves off when they detect an excessive flow rate (usually caused by a damaged, broken or malfunctioning sprinkler).

As for control valves, we only install flow control capable valves. This adjustment feature allows for precise water flow control for each individual zone of the system. In larger systems, we include pressure regulating valves that automatically adjust for pressure and flow differentials.

Drip Irrigation, Micro-Sprays and Xerigation: These products offer the best in water conservation and efficiency. They are primarily used in landscape, tree and shrub watering. There is little waste from wind drift, evaporation and overspray. Essentially, these products apply water at the base of the plants or beneath the surface. Application is very slow over a long period of time ensuring full plant use of the water applied.

Master Valves and Flow Sensors: Master valves and flow sensors are basically "insurance" type components. A master valve is simply an additional valve in the system mainline that all water must pass through before being distributed. It protects against wasted water due to a system leak in the mainline or a zone control valve that sticks open due to debris or malfunction.

Flow sensors are components that continually measure the amount of water flowing through the system. They are typically preset or adjusted to operate within certain predetermined flow ranges. When the flow limits are exceeded, the flow sensor can signal an alarm or shut the system down completely. Each zone can be fitted with a flow sensor for the optimum in system control. For the typical residential system however, these devices are quite pricey and are usually reserved for larger installations and where water conservation is the number one priority.

To learn more about the costs and benefits of high technology irrigation components, contact us.

Visit our page rain water harvesting for the ultimate in water conservation.