Promoting Efficient Irrigation in Your Community

1. Promoting Efficient Irrigation in Your Community Allison Hogge, U.S. EPA Stephanie Thornton, U.S. EPA

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. WaterSense Irrigation Partners by State (as of April 2008)

10. Water-Efficient Irrigation in Your Community • How can you use WaterSense to promote efficient outdoor water use? 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.

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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:

14. 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.

15. Daniel Muelrath Water Conservation Program Coordinator City of Santa Rosa, CA “Reducing Landscape Water Use through Conservation”

16. Agenda • Landscape water use and peak demand • Problems associated with peak demand • Water conservation’s role in reducing peak demand • Landscape/peak reduction programs • Future of conservation

17. What is peak demand? The annual fluctuation driven by irrigation and some water-based cooling processes.

18. Why are we concerned with Peak Demand and Landscape Water Use? • Wasted water • Higher energy cost during peak pumping time • Many components of the water distribution system must be designed to accommodate the highest flow months • Pumps • Reservoirs / Tanks • Pipelines • Call for conservation from our Wholesale Water Agency • Dynamic requirements due to using natural rivers/waterways to convey water to collection wells

19. Water Conservation’s role in reducing peak water demand Improve Efficiencies Knowledge/ Behaviors Reduce Demand Reduce 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 needs • Providing incentives to improve efficiencies

20. Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs Conservation Hotline: 707-543-3985 M – F 8am to 5pm Conservation Website: www.srcity.org/wc www.srcity.org/turftime

21. Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.) Water Use Efficiency Calculator www.srcity.org/wc

22. Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.) Data fills in if account number is entered

23. Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.) • Distribution Centers – Literature & Hardware • Four City locations • Twenty nurseries and irrigation vendors throughout the City (literature only)

24. Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.) • Water Awareness Month Activities • Proclamation • Water Smart Expo • Water Conservation Awards • School Poster Contest • Downtown Markets

25. Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.) Water supply Irrigation systems Irrigation efficiency Soils Plants Irrigation audits Irrigation scheduling and programming Valve and controller troubleshooting New technologies Selling water management to customers QWEL can be used by your local Utility too!!! 2nd program to be recognized by the EPA WaterSense program as an Irrigation Auditor training program 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: www.qweltraining.com

26. Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Rebate and Incentive Programs 200,000sqft of turf removed in 2007 • Water budget based rates using local ET • Green Exchange Program • Cash for grass • Irrigation Upgrades • Water Watch Patrol • Water Efficient Landscape Policy • Residential “Check-up”

27. Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Rebate and Incentive Programs • Large Landscape Irrigation Audits • Water wise gardening CD • Water use efficiency on billing statement • Irrigation efficiency rebates • Service split incentive

28. Future of Water Conservation • Peak Reduction and outdoor uses • Irrigation Advances: • SMART Controllers • Soil moisture sensors • Low precipitation rate sprinklers • Flow sensors shut-off • Landscape industry water awareness & training • New building standards • Graywater • Rain Water Harvesting • Legislation • California AB 2717/1881 • California AB 2175

29. Conservation Efforts by Irrigation ProfessionalsMark Brotton, Living Water Irrigation and Landscape Bill Kabaker, Precise Landscape

30. Facilitated Discussion: Working TogetherAllison Hogge, U.S. EPAStephanie Thornton, U.S. EPA

31. 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?

32. More Information Web site: www.epa.gov/watersense E-mail: watersense@epa.gov Helpline: (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367)