Although the Earth's surface is nearly 70 percent water, only one percent of that is available for drinking and irrigation. And in the last 20 years, global demand for the small amount of H2O has tripled, and drought conditions, particularly in the western United States, have intensified the situation. Thre result: water rationing.
But a San Diego-area company says it has found a solution.
Water2Save has developed a patented technology to help drought-stricken properties use irrigation water more efficiently.
Since its beginnings seven years ago, the company has offered customers with an on-line service that reduces irrigation water usage up to 50 percent through the use of a wireless electronic module that is affixed to any existing irrigation system. The service adjusts daily irrigation schedules based on forecasts from the National Weather Service, reducing water waste and helping residents and business owners better comply with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.
Water-saving devices may soon help ensure compliance with other regulations as well. For instance, a proposed bill (State of CA AB 607) now making its through California's capital has the potential to penalize customers who use too much water on their landscape or those who exceed evapotranspiration (ET). And in Orange County, former water district official Richard Gardener has introduced an ordinance to the South Orange County Wastewater Authority stating that all users of reclaimed water will be required to use a weather-sensitive controller by Jan. 1, 2005.