Conserving water is in every homeowner’s best interest. You save money and help the city’s local water supply at the same time. Having an older irrigation system installed in your yard does not mean that you can’t update it to take advantage of the latest technology.

In the vast majority of cases, the operating savings achieved far outweigh the initial capital cost of these upgrades, especially when increasing water rates are taken into consideration. To encourage Calgarians to manage ‘blue gold’ wisely, the Alberta Chapter of the Irrigation Association has declared July as Smart Irrigation Month. As part of that program, the Irrigation Association outlines a number of options open to Calgarians, some of which are:

• ADD ‘SMART’ TECHNOLOGY. Smart technology refers to irrigation devices that adjust watering schedules based on weather conditions (i.e. ET or evapotranspiration – which takes into consideration temperature, relative humidity, wind, rainfall and solar radiation) and site specific information, such as soil type, plant type and topography. The golf industry has been using Climate Controlled Irrigation (ET) watering for over 25 years and now this technology is available at the commercial and residential level.
  
  
• ADD PRESSURE REGULATING SPRINKLERS. High water pressure causes sprinklers to ‘mist’ which occurs when water is turned into vapour rather than droplets. Pressure regulating sprinklers regulate the water pressure to the optimum range to ensure even coverage and less water waste. • INSTALL DRIP IRRIGATION. Ensure the water is only applied where it is needed. Conventional spray sprinklers can be replaced with micro or drip irrigation components. Micro irrigation works well in gardens, around trees and shrubs, and minimizes evaporative water loss and runoff.
  
  
• INSTALL HIGH EFFICIENCY NOZZLES. The most important aspect to any sprinkler is is how effectively and evenly water is applied. High efficiency nozzles can lead to great improvements at a very low cost. Contact a certified irrigation professional and ask about these new efficient technologies and what will work best for you.

For information on Smart Controllers, click here