Last week, two new research sites went online for the WUEP irrigation research project! Two homeowner properties participating in Miami-Dade Water & Sewer’s Irrigation Rebate Program elected to participate in the study and received complete retrofits of their existing irrigation systems in exchange for access to their water-use data.
Homestead
At dawn we began taking apart the mechanical irrigation system on the first property.
While we preserved the anti-siphon vacuum breaker device that protects the potable water lines, the indexing valve was jettisoned for two electric valves, a water meter for data collection and the weather-based “smart” irrigation controller.
West Miami
The day’s second property featured an irrigation system identical to the first, sans the back-flow device.
Another contrast from the previous home: the 100% sand substrate underneath the turf! Shoveling out this system was like cutting a hot knife through butter!
We removed the existing mechanical system for four electric valves, a vacuum breaker and emergency ball valve, a water meter for water-use data, and the ET controller/weather station.
Get smart!
Unlike our previous zone comparison study with the soil water sensor system, the ET-based controller study will proceed in a different manner. Only the mainline on the ET system is metered. Total system water-use will be compared to that of a fictional irrigation system that shares the same number of zones and the same zone GPM as the research system, only it never suspends irrigation events.
On to the next
Another property for ET was recruited last week, and this week the push begins to recruit additional research participants. Stay tuned!
Exciting news - I am very interested in this data. It will be good to see the results. Mike - let's talk about how to add these to our spreadsheet when you get a chance.
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