You can save water (and money) by investing in a SMART irrigation system. The City of Allen even offers a rebate program to help cover installation costs!
Instead of relying on preset timers, SMART irrigation systems automatically adjust watering based on rain, soil moisture, evaporation and plant water use.
“I’ve seen cases where homeowners are watering every day of the week, simply because they’re oblivious to their sprinkler settings,” says Gail Donaldson, water conservation manager for the City of Allen . “It’s hard for the average homeowner to know there’s a problem until they get a high water bill.”
Sprinkler use accounts for up to 60% of Allen’s water use during summer months. To help residents conserve, the city offers a rebate to help offset the cost of retrofitting your existing sprinkler system with SMART irrigation technology.
“Residents will tend to keep using a controller that is no longer functioning properly just to avoid the cost of replacement,” says Donaldson. “Our rebate helps the resident upgrade to a SMART controller, by rebating part of the cost as a credit to their utility account. The SMART controller typically will reduce water use in sprinkler systems by as much as 30% annually.”
Allen residents are eligible to receive a 50% rebate (up to $125) for installing qualifying SMART irrigation technology. Visit CityofAllen.org/Rebates to apply. Rebate offerings are subject to yearly budget constraints and may be put on hold once the budget is consumed. Residents must call 214.509.4559 to pre-qualify all SMART irrigation products before purchase in make sure the product qualifies for the rebate program.
Smart Irrigation Month is an initiative of the Irrigation Association, the national trade association for irrigators. You can learn more about SMART irrigation at Irrigation.org.