When Specification Is Finalized

WaterSense products are at least 20 percent more efficient than standard models. EPA requires all products with the WaterSense label to be certified to ensure expected water efficiency and high levels of product performance.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its WaterSense Revised Draft Specification for Weather-Based Irrigation Controllers, which addresses stakeholder comments on the initial draft specification for the first outdoor product to join the WaterSense suite.

When the specification is finalized, homeowners, commercial property managers, and irrigation professionals can begin looking for the WaterSense label on weather-based irrigation controllers, which will create or modify irrigation schedules based on the landscape needs and real-time weather data. The specification will apply to stand-alone controllers and add-on or plug-in devices, increasing the potential water efficiencyof both new and existing irrigation systems.

With more than 13.5 million irrigation systems currently installed in the United States, replacing existing standard clock timer controllers with WaterSense labeled weather-based irrigation controllers could offer significant water savings for homeowners and organizations using irrigation systems.

This revised draft specification is the result of more than four years of collaboration between EPA and controller manufacturers, water utilities, irrigation industry representatives, and other stakeholders. In addition to responding to stakeholder comments on its initial draft specification released in November 2009, WaterSense utilized follow-up research from the University of Florida to inform the revised specification.

Comments on the revised draft specification are due March 21, 2011. Once EPA finalizes the specification, weather-based irrigation controller manufacturers can begin submitting controllers for third-party testing and certification As with all WaterSense labeled products, controllers must be independently certified to meet EPA’s water-efficiency and performance criteria. Learn more about the WaterSense Revised Draft Specification for Weather-Based Irrigation Controllers.

WaterSense is an EPA partnership program that seeks to enhance the market for water-efficient products and services. WaterSense is both a label for products and a resource to help people use water more efficiently. For more information, please contact me at thornton.stephanie@epa.gov