The City of Petaluma Department of Water Resources and Conservation (WRC), a leader in developing and implementing innovative and cost effective water conservation programs, today announced the launch of Smart Yard®, an exciting water conservation program designed to achieve more sustainable water use for Petaluma water customers. Consistent with its mission, WRC will provide efficient water use technology to homeowners. WRC aims to improve the irrigation water use efficiency of Smart Yard participants to save more than 45 million gallons of water over the next five years.
Smart Yard will provide a WeatherTRAK® smart irrigation controller to qualifying water customers at no up-front cost. Smart controllers automatically adjust irrigation schedules via satellite technology, taking the guesswork out of watering your yard. Participating homeowners pay the balance with zero-interest financing from WRC, which places a fixed fee of $14.95 (for one 12 station controller) on their monthly water bills for 5 years. In most cases, the water savings achieved by the WeatherTRAK smart controller will offset the program fee. The program also provides homeowners with a landscape water use evaluation and installation of the WeatherTRAK smart irrigation controller, as well as a rain sensor and on-going customer service.
WRC is partnering with Petaluma-based HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc., provider of the WeatherTRAK Smart Water Management solution, to manage the innovative water conservation program. The WeatherTRAK smart irrigation controller has been proven to conserve water in 23 public agency studies. Landscape water use, on average, consumes more than 60 percent of the nation’s water supply, and most landscapes are typically overwatered by 30 to 300 percent. The WeatherTRAK smart controller will help to ensure that landscapes receive the proper amounts of water.
“The Smart Yard program makes it easy for homeowners to optimize landscape health while reducing outdoor water use,” said David Iribarne, water conservation coordinator for Petaluma WRC. “HydroPoint’s WeatherTRAK technology has been successfully used at Petaluma parks, medians, city schools and by numerous residential customers since 2007. The WeatherTRAK controllers automatically align irrigation schedules with current local weather conditions, reduce water run-off and are helping sustain future water supplies. The Smart Yard program unites the entire Petaluma community around the common goal of saving water.”
Petaluma WRC’s program addresses growing constraints faced by communities across the U.S. As water supplies dwindle, cities and agencies must secure more reliable water sources. Conserving water is the lowest cost source of water for providers and their customers, particularly when compared to developing new infrastructure or purchasing water from wholesaler agencies.
“The City of Petaluma is demonstrating to its customers and water agencies throughout the country that smart landscape water conservation programs are smart environmentally and financially,” said Chris Spain, chairman and chief strategy officer, HydroPoint. Mr. Spain added, “By using proven technology to eliminate water waste, Smart Yard saves money and delivers a win-win for homeowners and our local community.”
City of Petaluma selected HydroPoint to administer the program because of the company's demonstrated track record of successes in achieving water conservation goals for thousands of organizations in the public and private sectors. HydroPoint employs a progressive and integrated approach in developing and marketing programs that maximize value for municipalities, water agencies and their customers. To learn more about the Smart Yard program, visit smartyard.com/petaluma.
About HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc.
HydroPoint, founded in 2002, is the market and technology leader in Smart Water Management. The company's WeatherTRAK solution uniquely delivers a multitude of financial and environmental benefits by revolutionizing management of the area of greatest waste in urban water use: landscape irrigation. Proven in 23 independent studies, including the vanguard pollution runoff study led by the EPA, the WeatherTRAK solution saves water, reduces energy demand and protects water quality while it minimizes liability and expense exposure. In 2011, subscribers including The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Regency Centers (NYSE: REG) and numerous public institutions will save 17 billion gallons of water, 68 million kilowatt hours and 91 million pounds of CO2. Facing water rates ranging from $2 to $6 per 1,000 gallons and related expenses due to overwatering damages ranging from $500 to $10,000 per site, companies across the U.S. have identified WeatherTRAK as the green initiative with the fastest payback. Headquartered in Petaluma, Calif., HydroPoint is privately owned and operated. For more information, visit www.hydropoint.com.
Smart Yard and WeatherTRAK are trademarks of HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc. All other marks used are the property of their respective owners.
