“Smart” VS “Not-so-smart”

Rain Bird ESP-SMT4 Smart Controller

The “not-so-smart” or “traditional” irrigation controllers required us to determine how much to water and when. With the “smart” irrigation controllers you simply program in the conditions for each zone. The programming information includes:

• light conditions (full sun, 25% shade, 50% shade, 75% shade, and full shade)
• plant type (grass, annuals, groundcover, shrubs, and trees)
• amount of slope (0°-2°, 3°-4°, 5°-7°, 8°-Up)
• soil type (sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, loam, clay loam, silty clay, and clay)

Another feature is the on-site weather sensor that communicates current weather data on a regular basis back to the controller. The weather station measures rain fall and temperature and compares this information with the programmed historical data based upon the zip code entered. As weather conditions change, the irrigation schedule adjusts accordingly on a daily basis.

Programming

When the controller is programmed correctly, you can expect to maintain a healthy landscape while consuming up to 50% less water than “traditional” time-based controllers. One bonus feature of some “smart” controllers is that you can program the controller anywhere you want. The old days of standing out in summer heat and trying to program your controller while having difficulty reading the display are over. All you have to do is install a 9-Volt alkaline battery in the controller and program it from your couch inside your air conditioned home. The pre-programmed information is saved in non-volatile memory for retrieval at a future date.

Rebate programs

Summer is coming soon and why not start the season with a “smart” controller to do all the work for you. Save water and save money! Check with your water provider, as some offer controller rebates and may be able to assist with the cost of the unit such as the cities of Scottsdale, Peoria, and Chandler. Also in the spring, Salt River Project (SRP) has a Water Conservation Expo and offers a “smart” irrigation controller discount. For more information on “smart” irrigation controllers, visit SRP’s Facts and Questions page. Remember there are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.

Salt River Project (SRP) is one of fifteen Water – Use It Wisely regional partners who offer conservation assistance to water customers. Contact your local water conservation office.

Water Awareness Month is going on right now, and we can use your help! As readers of this blog, you are already water-aware and can probably name many of the 100+ water-saving tips on the Water – Use it Wisely website. Of course, first on the list is “There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.” In this spirit, we would like to ask a favor.

As knowledgeable water ambassadors, help spread the word about Water – Use it Wisely and Water Awareness Month to your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. If you’re not familiar with Water Awareness Month, visit the interactive calendar that matches each day in April with a water conservation topic. For example:

Day 24: The True Cost of Bottled Water

Day 25: Ask the Water Experts

Day 26: Grow Green Kids

Day 27: Trees: Treat it With Care. Give it Clean Water, and Feed it Fresh Air

Day 28: Rainwater: It’s Free, Fresh and Filling

Day 29: Lawn Envy

Day 30: Choose How You Use

Each topic features tips, events and resources with photos to help us all practice a low water-use lifestyle. With over 500 ideas and activities on the site, there is something for everyone (maybe even a surprise or two.) It’s easy to help spread the word. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and of course, visit us on the web.

Happy Water Awareness Month!

Water – Use It Wisely features guest bloggers who write about water conservation and education. Jo Cook owner of Cook Internet Consulting is a member of the Arizona Water Awareness Month steering committee.

One of the biggest water wasters in the home - the toilet.

Look for the WaterSense label

Let’s begin with the biggest offenders, starting inside your home. According to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, toilets are the biggest culprits, accounting for approximately 26.7% of the water used daily inside the house. By simply switching over to high-efficiency models of toilets, homeowners can make a huge dent in this number. The best part—unlike “low flow” models of previous years, today’s high efficiency toilets (HETs) are designed, tested, and proven to take care of business with very little water. Some models (look for the EPA WaterSense Label) actually use less than one gallon per flush!

Use a water efficient shower head

Showers are another area in the home where water is wasted, responsible for about 16.8% of household daily water usage. I used to think that these numbers somehow didn’t apply to me. My morning showers seemed way too short in my eyes—I literally used them as a way to wake myself up for the day. I was in for a rude awakening after I received a water flow measurement bag at a green education event and slipped it under my shower head to see how I was doing. My much-beloved “rain type” shower head was dousing me with 100 gallons of water each time I showered! I had two choices to save water: switch my shower head to a high efficiency model, or shorten the time I was in the shower. In the end I did both and I learned an important lesson in doing so. Sometimes the least expensive and most effective way to conserve resources is by simply changing our habits!

Fix that leaky faucet and save gallons!

How about that dripping faucet you keep meaning to fix? How does it measure up  on the “wasted water” scale?  While you certainly may be losing a few gallons a day, it’s worth taking a look at your faucet as a whole. Faucet use adds up to about 15.7% of a household’s daily water usage. Did you know that simply by installing aerators on your bathroom and kitchen faucets, you can save up to a gallon of water per minute, per faucet? What’s even better—it’s a change no one will notice! That doesn’t mean to ignore those leaks, though. In fact, any leak stopped helps the cause.

In addition to those obvious sink leaks (and who doesn’t hate that annoying dripping sound?), there are less obvious leaks lurking in your home, wasting your precious water. The easiest of these leaks to detect on your own is a leaky flapper in your toilet. Here’s a test:  open the tank of your toilet and put in a few drops of food coloring. Go ahead, be creative! Mix colors for some extra fun! Replace the tank lid and wait a good 5-10 minutes or so. When the time is up, check the bowl of the toilet. If any color has made its way down into the bowl, you have a leaky flapper. Unfortunately, this means that your toilet is wasting water. Fortunately, replacing the flapper on your toilet is an easy fix. Simply take the model name and date of manufacture of your toilet (stamped inside the tank) to your local plumbing supply house and they will help you find a replacement flapper. Note: do not waste your money on a “universal” toilet flapper, as it will not fit your toilet the way the proper part is made to.

Keep in mind that any amount of water that we save, inside or outside our homes and businesses, is a step in the right direction. Conservation is not a single act, but a process towards a common goal. Make use of the resources around you- both products and professionals- who can help you find water-saving solutions that are comfortable for your lifestyle. Perhaps the most important thing of all to remember is that any effort to save Earth’s precious resources is worthwhile. After all, there is no perfect shade of green.

John Smith is the Vice-President of  R2K Plumbing, The Arizona Green Plumbers,* and the author of Plunging Into Green, One Plumber’s Journey to Becoming a Water Hugger. John was named the 2010 and 2011 Green Plumber of the Year and is the host of The Arizona Green Plumber Show on BlogTalk Radio.  For more water-saving tips, follow The Arizona Green Plumbers on Facebook.

*GreenPlumbers USA®
GreenPlumbers is a national training and licensing program to advance sustainable plumbing practices that will use less energy, less water and fewer chemicals. Savings within new and existing buildings can be from efficient heating, cooling, and hot water systems, as well as from water-efficient fixtures and appliances, and by the harvesting and use of alternative water sources. Be sure to check with your power or water utility to see if rebates are available for the purchase of efficient products.

Learn more about Green Plumbers and other organizations involved in water conservation efforts on the Water – Use It Wisely Resources page.

It’s a Party for the Planet! On Saturday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. be sure to celebrate Earth Day, conservation and nature at the Phoenix Zoo.

Water – Use It Wisely will be joining in on the fun once again with our fun-in-the-sun duck float trivia contest. Children young and old can test their water know-how, then take home one of our “oh-so-cute” ducks to float in the pool or bathtub to help remind them to use water wisely every day of the year – not just on Earth Day.

Visit us at the Harmony Farm section of the Zoo. Don’t worry; we have a lot of cool stuff for the “big” kids, too. See you there!

MP Rotator 3 (Credit: www.hunterindustries.com)

Everyone enjoys a patch of lawn.  It’s cool to walk on barefoot, a comfortable spot for adults to gather and relax outdoors, and children and pets enjoy playing on it. But lawns do use a lot of water, and with up to 70% of your water use outdoors, the ideal lawn is one that will grow in our desert environment using water as efficiently as possible. One of the easiest and smartest things a homeowner can do is to replace their old-fashioned sprinkler spray nozzles with new water efficient nozzles.

Conventional “fixed spray heads” are the small heads that spray a fan-shaped pattern of water, somewhat like a shower nozzle spray. They apply water at a relatively fast rate which may not allow the water to soak into our tight clay soils and may contribute to runoff. Fixed spray nozzles are often prone to ‘misting’, an extremely fine spray that can evaporate quickly or drift easily in wind.

Replacing old spray heads with new, more efficient models can reduce your water use and save you money.  This is easier than you might think.  In most cases it’s not necessary to replace the entire sprinkler housing, just the spray nozzle.  If you can unscrew the cap on a bottle of water and then put it back on, you can replace a sprinkler nozzle. In just a few minutes you can give your irrigation system a tune up, conserve water, reduce puddling and water running into the street, and improve the health of your grass.

Rainbird Rotary Nozzles (Credit: www.rainbird.com)

New sprinkler products on the market can save as much as 42 percent on the amount of water applied to your lawn.  And, because the water is applied more slowly, and in droplets instead of mist, it soaks deeper into the soil and with less chance for runoff. They also deliver water more evenly over their entire coverage area, a vast improvement over conventional sprinklers.

Click on the ‘Lawn Stars’ listed below to learn more about various types of spray heads and even help for unexpected geysers. These products are available from a variety of manufacturers.

• Multi-Stream Spray Heads
• MP Rotators
• Oscillating spray heads
• Auto-stop for broken sprinkler heads

It’s easy to change a spray nozzle.  Read on for simple tips.
Replacing a sprinkler spray nozzle:

1. Unscrew the very top sprinkler head. If it is a pop-up sprinkler you’ll need to pull up the riser a couple of inches to get a grip on it. If the insert is snug, you might need a pair of pliers. A special tool to lift the spray nozzle is available at irrigation or home improvement stores.  The little insert is the only part you are going to replace. You won’t need to do any digging or get dirt on your hands. (See a how-to video).
2. Bring this spray nozzle, along with a list of the total number of nozzles you need, to a store that sells multi-stream or oscillating nozzles. Don’t worry about distinguishing quarter heads and half heads; most of the new nozzles are adjustable from 90 degrees to 210 degrees. Home improvement stores may not have these products, but most nurseries and irrigation stores should. Call ahead if you’re not sure.
3. To install just unscrew the old nozzles (with the water off) and screw on the new ones. Turn the sprinkler system on and make adjustments to the spray direction. If needed, adjust the radius of the spray by turning the little screw on the top. (You may need a tiny little screwdriver for this, which is also available at irrigation supply stores).

Spray Head Pull-Up Tool (Credit: www.rainbird.com)

That’s it. In just a few minutes you’ve updated your sprinkler system, saved water, reduced runoff and made your lawn just a little bit healthier.

For more landscape and irrigation tips, please visit www.chandleraz.gov/water

Chandler is offering landscape watering workshops throughout the month of April. Topics include yard watering & timer programming, sprinkler design and how to maximize your irrigation. Find detailed descriptions and programs offered by Chandler and other Water – Use It Wisely partners at the Water – Use It Wisely calendar on our home page.

April is a great month to celebrate nature! Earth Day is April 22, Arbor Day is April 27 and the whole month is dedicated to water awareness.*

Join the City of Mesa for a ‘speed dating’ version of environmental learning by attending any or all three programs. Information booths on multiple topics will provide interactive opportunities between each session:

Celebrate Nature:
Butterflies, Trees and Being Green

• 1:30 p.m. Inviting Monarch Butterflies to Your Yard
• 2:15 p.m. Great Trees for Shade & Color
• 3:00 p.m. Ten Simple Ways to Save Water & Energy

The program is free and no registration is required. Visit Mesa’s sustainability page or call (480) 644-4400.

The City of Mesa is one of fifteen Water – Use It Wisely regional partners, and many offer water-wise workshops. Check out all of the partner programs on the Water – Use It Wisely Calendar on our home page.

*Water Awareness Month takes place in April in Arizona to emphasize the importance of using water more efficiently. Practicing a low water-use lifestyle is a way each individual and business in Arizona can help ensure a long-term, sufficient water supply. You can make a difference in our future by making small changes, starting today. Find hundreds of tips and links at the Arizona Water Awareness Month site.

Before the heat sets in, don’t forget Water Saving Tip #41: Remember to check your sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the heads in good shape.

Thankfully, the Town of Queen Creek has a class that will help you identify water wasting problems in your drip irrigation system! Join them Saturday, April 14^th, 9am – 12pm at the Queen Creek Library/Zane Grey Room, 21802 S. Ellsworth Rd., Queen Creek.

This workshop is free to Queen Creek residents, but you must register. Email connie.speelman@queencreek.org or call the water conservation office at 480-358-3455.

The Town of Queen Creek is one of fifteen Water – Use It Wisely regional partners, many of whom offer water-wise workshops. Check out all of the partner programs at the Water – Use It Wisely calendar on our home page.

Our very own Donna DiFrancesco, Conservation Specialist from the City of Mesa, was featured in April’s Phoenix Home and Garden magazine giving some information about what people can do for Water Awareness Month! Check it out!

Image courtesy of Argonne National Library

Just when you thought that saving water was as easy as turning off the water when brushing your teeth, experts are trying to get another point across to consumers… saving energy can also save water! The electrical power industry is one of the largest users of water in the United States. However, we can’t forget that the opposite is true too… that the delivery and treatment of water also consumes a lot of energy (see Arizona examples below).

This estimate of water use for data centers such as Google is noted by Liew Yien Phin, from Black & Veatch, a global environmental engineering firm. Check out his fascinating blog, The Nexus of Water and Energy, where he discusses the serious implications of this relationship.

Perhaps Water – Use It Wisely should add a new water saving device to our lineup…. Water Saving Device # 113, A Dictionary. Next time you need the definition of a word pull your dictionary off the shelf instead and save a tenth of a teaspoon of water every time. But since you’re already on our page, be sure to learn about our other 100+ ways to conserve water.

Arizona Examples of the Water – Energy Nexus

Water Needed for Energy: Did you know that our local Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station uses 50 to 80 million gallons of water each day to meet its cooling needs? Fortunately, almost all of it is effluent (treated sewage) from several nearby municipalities.

Energy Needed for Water: Have you followed the controversy of the Navajo Generating Station coal-fired plant in northern Arizona? The EPA and conservationists are concerned about environmental impacts from emissions, especially since the plant is located near National Parks, monuments and wilderness areas. Power from the plant is needed to deliver Colorado River water through the Central Arizona Project system that delivers the water to the state’s more populated areas.

You can promote your own contribution to smart water use and management by advertising on WaterUseItWisely.com, the number one water conservation website on the internet. If you’re interested in being a guest blogger, contact us.

It’s Springtime in Arizona! Salt River Project (SRP) is hosting a Free Water Conservation Expo at which you can learn about saving water, money and how to irrigate your lawn and landscape correctly for the upcoming warmer months.

Visit the expo and get a 4-station smart irrigation controller (expandable to 13 stations) for $50 plus tax (retail value $290). Three-station expansion modules are available for $17.55 plus tax (retail value $55). The discount is limited to the first 500 SRP water shareholders or power customers who register and attend the expo. The first 500 customers who attend a controller installation class at the expo will receive a water-saving showerhead ($39 value). Limit one controller and showerhead per household.

Date and time of expo: Saturday, March 3, 2012, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: SRP’s PERA Club, 1 E. Continental Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281
View map of PERA or get driving directions to PERA

If you plan to attend the expo or classes, please register using our online form, or call SRP at (602) 236-3333.

See you there!

SRP is one of fifteen Water – Use It Wisely regional partners, many of whom offer water-wise programs and opportunities. Check out all of the partner programs at the Water – Use It Wisely calendar on our home page.