Promoting Efficient Irrigation in Your

CommunityAllison Hogge, U.S. EPA

Stephanie Thornton, U.S. EPA

Agenda

Welcome & Introduction Program Update

• WaterSense activity in the landscape irrigation sector• Resources on efficient irrigation

Community Outdoor Water Conservation Efforts• Dan Muelrath, City of Santa Rosa, CA

Conservation Efforts by Irrigation Professionals• Mark Brotton, Living Water Irrigation and Landscape,

Santa Fe, NM• Bill Kabaker, Precise Landscape, Sherman Oaks, CA

Discussion: Opportunities to Work Together

Outdoor Water Use

Outdoor use is estimated to be about 30 percent of residential use, or approximately 7.8 billion gallons per day, with the largest component being used for irrigation.

Up to 50 percent of water applied by irrigation systems is lost to wind, evaporation, improper system design, installation, or maintenance.

Improving Irrigation Water Efficiency

Goal 1 - Increase Awareness of Water-Efficient Products and Services:

Make water efficiency an attribute of choice• Partner with national and local organizations to promote water

efficiency Goal 2 - Improve the Performance of Irrigation

Systems: Promote good design, installation, and O&M of irrigation systems

• Promote the use of water-efficient irrigation equipment Goal 3 - Promote Water-Efficient Landscaping: Work with existing partners and other EPA programs to address

efficient landscape design, plant selection and soil amendments Current Activities:

• Label certification programs• Partner with certified professionals to advance water-efficient irrigation• Set specifications for water-efficient irrigation system components

Irrigation Product Labeling

WaterSense is researching weather- and sensor-based irrigation control technologies.

WaterSense is awaiting a revised test protocol from SWAT, a coalition of utilities and irrigation manufacturers.

WaterSense hopes to label irrigation control technologies in 2009.

Certification Programs for Irrigation Professionals

WaterSense currently labels certification programs for irrigation professionals that emphasize water-efficient techniques and technologies.

Programs must meet WaterSense criteria, which include an experiential requirement, an exam with proper quality assurance/quality control procedures, a set renewal period with required continuing education, and testing knowledge such as:• Plant/soil/water relationships• System design and scheduling for water efficiency• Recent innovations and technology developments

WaterSense Irrigation Partners

Five certification programs have earned the WaterSense label:• IA’s Certified Irrigation Designer (CID)• IA’s Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC)• IA’s Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA)• IA’s Certified Golf Irrigation Auditor (CGIA)• North Coast Water Conservation Group’s Qualified

Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL)

Irrigation professionals may become WaterSense partners upon completing or renewing with a WaterSense labeled certification program.

Irrigation Partner Credentials

Only a small percentage of irrigation contractors are certified.

These certified professionals represent the best contractors in the landscape irrigation industry.

WaterSense hopes to increase this by driving the market for certified professionals.

Directory on the WaterSense Web site:

http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/lists/irr_partners.htm

WaterSense Irrigation Partners by State (as of April

2008)

Water-Efficient Irrigation in Your Community

Utilities: Promote WaterSense irrigation partners:

• To your customers• Work with the groups who hire/specify irrigation

professionals in your area Educate customers on water-efficient irrigation using

WaterSense materials. Promote Smart Irrigation Month. Host an IA certification exam. Contact Sherrie Schulte, IA

Certifications Manager: sherrie@irrigation.org or (703) 536-7080.

How can you use WaterSense to promote efficient outdoor water use?

Water-Efficient Irrigation in Your Community

Irrigation Professionals: Distribute bill stuffers, brochures, checklist for a water-efficient

system, or other materials to customers or in bid packets. Place WaterSense partner logo on your business card and Web

site in conjunction with your name to distinguish yourself from other contractors.

Tell WaterSense about what you are doing to practice/promote efficiency.

Encourage colleagues to become certified and become WaterSense partners.

Educate customers on the importance of water-efficiency in the landscape.

Work with customers to understand and develop irrigation schedules that meet local watering restrictions.

Water Efficiency Resources

Promotional & Irrigation Tool Kits:• Provide materials to educate

customers, potential customers & the general public on water-efficient irrigation

• Promote WaterSense as a brand

• Include a CD with modifiable electronic files, as well as hard copy samples

Outreach Materials

• Grass Can Be Greener brochure

• Watering Can Be Efficient brochure

• Bill stuffers• Checklist for a Water-

Efficient System• Sticker/Window cling

templates

Outreach materials include:

Promote Smart Irrigation Month in July

Tools: Smart Irrigation Month Web site: www.smartirrigationmonth.org WaterSense Web site: www.epa.gov/watersense/sim/index.htm

Promotion Ideas: Post the Smart Irrigation Month logo on your Web site; link to the

IA’s or WaterSense’s page. Print bill stuffers educating customers on water-efficient irrigation. Issue a press release or public service announcement. Provide tips on watering efficiently. Hold a forum or workshop promoting smart irrigation in your

community.

Daniel Muelrath

Water Conservation Program Coordinator

City of Santa Rosa, CA

“Reducing Landscape Water Use through Conservation”

Agenda

Landscape water use and peak demandProblems associated with peak demandWater conservation’s role in reducing peak

demandLandscape/peak reduction programsFuture of conservation

What is peak demand?

The annual fluctuation driven by irrigation and some water-based cooling processes.

Why are we concerned with Peak Demand and Landscape Water Use?Wasted waterHigher energy cost during peak pumping

timeMany components of the water distribution

system must be designed to accommodate the highest flow monthsPumps Reservoirs / TanksPipelines

Call for conservation from our Wholesale Water AgencyDynamic requirements due to using natural

rivers/waterways to convey water to collection wells

Water Conservation’s role in reducing peak water demandReduce peak water consumption on the City's

water system by: Informing customers and landscape

contractors of water saving practices and technologies

Providing incentives to reduce site water needsProviding incentives to improve efficiencies

Knowledge/ Behaviors

Improve Efficiencies

Reduce Demand

Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs

Conservation Website:

www.srcity.org/wc

Conservation Hotline:

707-543-3985M – F 8am to 5pm

www.srcity.org/turftime

Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)Water Use Efficiency Calculator

www.srcity.org/wc

Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)

Data fills in if account number is entered

Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)

Distribution Centers – Literature & Hardware

• Four City locations• Twenty nurseries and irrigation vendors

throughout the City (literature only)

Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)Water Awareness Month Activities

• Proclamation• Water Smart Expo• Water Conservation Awards• School Poster Contest• Downtown Markets

Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)Water-Wise Gardening Series (residential)

Three part series that focuses on: Low Water Use Plants, Irrigation Efficiency and Drip Irrigation

Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (contractors) To train landscapers on efficient water

management in the landscape. Topics include: 7. Irrigation scheduling and programming

8. Valve and controller troubleshooting9. New technologies 10.Selling water management to customers

1. Water supply2. Irrigation systems3. Irrigation efficiency4. Soils5. Plants6. Irrigation audits www.qweltraining.com

2nd program to be recognized by the EPA WaterSense program as an Irrigation Auditor

training program

QWEL can be used by your

local Utility too!!!

Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Rebate and Incentive ProgramsWater budget based

rates using local ETGreen Exchange

ProgramCash for grassIrrigation Upgrades

Water Watch PatrolWater Efficient

Landscape PolicyResidential “Check-

up”

200,000sqft of turf removed

in 2007

Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Rebate and Incentive ProgramsLarge Landscape Irrigation AuditsWater wise gardening CDWater use efficiency on billing statementIrrigation efficiency rebatesService split incentive

Future of Water ConservationPeak Reduction and outdoor uses

Irrigation Advances: SMART Controllers Soil moisture sensors Low precipitation rate sprinklers Flow sensors shut-off

Landscape industry water awareness & trainingNew building standardsGraywaterRain Water Harvesting

LegislationCalifornia AB 2717/1881California AB 2175

Conservation Efforts by Irrigation Professionals

Mark Brotton, Living Water Irrigation and Landscape Bill Kabaker, Precise Landscape

Facilitated Discussion: Working Together

Allison Hogge, U.S. EPAStephanie Thornton, U.S. EPA

Discussion Questions

Have you collaborated with irrigation professionals/utilities to promote efficiency irrigation in your community?

How have these partnerships been structured?

What are some of the challenges, barriers, success stories you have encountered?

How can utilities and irrigation professionals better collaborate?

More Information

Web site: www.epa.gov/watersenseE-mail: watersense@epa.gov

Helpline: (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367)