Take Control of Your Controller

If your home has been affected by a blackout, you may already know that you have to reset your clocks and other appliances. Add one more to the list – your sprinkler system’s controller.

“It's important to maintain your irrigation system to avoid over-watering, maintain plant health,
and reduce runoff,” said Nathan Adams, IRWD Water Efficiency Analyst. “IRWD wants to team up with you to take control of your irrigation controller.”

Many people don’t know that when the power goes out, many irrigation timers revert to the “default” setting, which usually turns on the sprinklers for 10 minutes a day, seven times a week. This can not only cause you to have a very wet yard, but can result in higher water bills and urban runoff.

Step 1:
A. Be sure your controller has a back-up battery in case of a power outage and replace it every time you replace your fire alarm batteries. Most controllers take a 9 volt battery, which is located behind or under the controller face.

B. Check your controller’s run times; if they’re set to water seven days a week, 10 minutes for each zone this means you have experienced a power outage and your controller’s back-up battery is dead or missing.

C. Now it’s time to re-schedule your run times. Visit www.alwayswatersmart.com, and click on Irrigation Schedule.

Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500