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Sustainable Works: How Smart Are New Smart Controllers?

sustainable works Rain Bird ESP-SMT How Smart are New Smart Controllers? BY BILLY R. SIMS When put to the test, these irrigation controllers prove water wise. I n the beginning, there was heaven and earth. Rain came as part of the package. Whenever this proved insufﬁcient, humans employed various technologies to water crops and landscapes — irrigation canals, pumps and so on. Resourceful, but not very efﬁcient. With the introduction of automatically controlled irrigation systems in the late 1950s, where water is distributed through pipes in predetermined patterns, a giant leap forward was achieved. Then changes came rapidly with the introduction of two-wire irrigation systems 25 years ago, followed by central controlled systems, and 10 years ago, ET or seasonally adjusted systems. Within the past ﬁve years, a new generation of “smart” irrigation controllers has gained popularity. “Technology developed for the golf business has moved over to commercial and then residential applications,” says Doug Callison, senior product manager for Rain Bird. Smart controllers are basically irrigation clocks that automatically adjust irrigation run times in response to environ- 18 TOTAL LANDSCAPE CARE / July 2011 mental changes. They use sensors and weather information to manage watering times and frequency. As conditions vary, the controller increases or decreases irrigation. Pretty darn smart, but what’s really intelligent: They reduce water use 15 to 30 percent and over-watering. They are poised to change the face of landscape irrigation. High IQs Following are examples of controllers that have undergone Smart Water Technology (SWAT) performance tests by the Center for Irrigation Technology: Rain Bird ESP-SMT Suitable for residential and light commercial landscapes Includes controller and onsite sensor to monitor weather conditions Sensor features tipping rain bucket that suspends irrigation if rainfall detected Sensor measures the amount of effective rainfall to prevent

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