ET Pilot Program Saves Water
TMWA successfully partnered with local landscapers in a pilot program to research the effectiveness of new technology to control watering of irrigated areas. Savings totaled more than 6 million gallons of water. Using historical ET (evapotranspiration) rates and the day's temperature, the new controllers adjust the amount of water applied to the landscape.
Several irrigated areas around commercial properties and large homeowner association landscaped areas in Reno and Sparks were selected to test the ET controllers on a total of 16 acres of landscaped area.
Evapotranspiration rates can be used as a tool.
The sites participating in this 3-year pilot program were monitored and have shown a 20 percent drop in water use compared to their historical usage, a savings of about 6.3 million gallons of water annually!
To become ET savvy and learn more about watering according to local evapotranspiration rates, log on to www.washoeet.dri.edu.
