New WUEP research sites added!

Two homeowner properties participating in Miami-Dade Extension’s Water-Use Efficiency Program (WUEP) were added as pair-wise research sites last week.



Property 1
Installation day began with a two irrigation-zone city water property requiring a complete retrofit.



With the D.I.Y.-oriented homeowner at our side the entire time, we installed an anti-siphon valve to protect the potable lines, two electric valves, a water meter on each zone and the soil water sensor system.

Property 2
The day’s second property also featured a mechanical city water irrigation system. Fueled by the homeowner’s offer of all the ice water we could drink, we again installed the anti-siphon valve, electric valves, a water meter on each of the two zones, and the soil water sensor system.

The addition of these properties to the WUEP pair-wise study brings the research site total to 16. Organized by geographical region, I visit these properties weekly to collect water-use data – specifically, comparing a zone programmed to irrigate on schedule against a zone that is prevented from irrigating should the soil water sensor detect adequate moisture. This data helps demonstrate the effectiveness of irrigation control technology in urban landscape irrigation.