Synergy is when the sum of the parts equals something greater than the sum of the parts. 1 plus 1 = 3 for example. For the past two years I presented at the WaterSmart Innovations conference about the value of water agencies, manufacturers, distributors and contractors working together to create synergy to reduce water use for landscape irrigation. An individual working toward a goal can accomplish much, but a team of people working together as… Read more »
Author Archives: Richard Restuccia
CategoriesFlow Sensors Made Simple
Flow sensors may seem complicated but can actually be explained simply. Breaks in irrigation systems waste vast amounts of water every year. Flow sensors are affordable devices that can be installed to detect and automatically shut down the irrigation system when breaks, malfunctions or vandalism occur. Flow sensors can be designed and installed during construction, or can be part of a retro-fit project. Either way, flow sensing should be part of any large irrigation… Read more »
Rain Sense and Sensibility
In general it’s difficult to motivate people to be passionate about landscape irrigation. However, there is one event — when the sprinklers come on and it’s raining — that really gets people going. Adding a rain sensor to your current irrigation system might be the most sensible thing you can do to conserve water. It can save water, money, and more importantly, keep your neighbors calm. Due to increased focus on water conserving products, manufacturers… Read more »
Let’s Be Smart About Smart Irrigation
The EPA is making history by labeling homes “Water Efficient” under the WaterSense program. The impact of the program on home prices will be positive. Water saving should be substantial, and homeowners will save money on water. On December 10, 2009 the EPA’s WaterSense program created final specifications for home builders to have their homes labeled as “water-efficient” under the WaterSense program. The Congressional authorization for WaterSense is about to be introduced in the Senate… Read more »
Inspect What You Expect
We have all heard the term, “Inspect what you expect.” Measurement of performance is one of the quickest ways to inspire change. The landscape irrigation industry could benefit from better tools to measure the amount of water used on a daily basis. The non-profit group Charity Water (www.charitywater.org) recently focused on a project done at Teague, a manufacturing firm. Teague measured the amount of water flowing through their office kitchen faucet. They… Read more »
10 Easy Ways To Make Your Landscape More Water Efficient Today
There are number of ways to reduce water usage on your property. Often the perception is that you have to make a large upfront investment for a water management program to pay off. While often an upfront investment leads to long-term savings, there are a number of small changes you can make to your daily and weekly maintenance program that will make an immediate impact on your water… Read more »
The Drought Is Over — Good News, or Bad News?
This week Governor Jerry Brown declared the drought for California was officially over. I have seen other periodicals and headlines proclaim the same great news. However, I can’t help but wonder if the news is good or bad. At first glance, it’s reasonable to consider the news good. It would be really good news if the drought was over due to a combination of wet weather and excellent conservation practices. Unfortunately, as I read… Read more »
Welcome to ValleyCrest Takes On: Water Management
ValleyCrest is leading the way to water sustainability with the launch of ValleyCrest Takes On: Water Management, a blog focused on water management best practices, innovations and trends. Our contributing bloggers will monitor projects in process, track the trends in water management, report our opinions on new technology, share legislative updates and rebate information, and generally create healthy discourse on the topic of water management. We hope that through our blog, we can… Read more »
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