The Challenge: Achieving Irrigation Efficiency in Mixed Plant Settings.
To attain a state of 100% efficient irrigation, you would provide the plants, flowers and turfgrass on your landscape with the correct amount of water at exactly the time they need it. Achieving this with regularity and precision has proven elusive for commercial and residential users of irrigation systems.
Studies show that most landscapes are significantly overwatered — at rates of up to 50% in the western United States — causing needless waste, plant damage and harmful runoff. Recognizing this problem, ETwater began development of a science-based irrigation system. The company's mission: Apply the proven principles of agricultural irrigation science to dramatically improve the efficiency of residential and commercial landscape irrigation.
Solving the Problem of Overwatering
To solve the problems associated with overwatering, the research and development team at ET Water examined the combination of factors required to create optimum watering schedules, including:
- A specific plant type's water needs
- A specific plant's root depth
- Type of soil at the site (clay, sandy or loamy)
- Plant microclimate (full or partial sun or shade)
- Slope of landscape (flat or incline)
- Irrigation method used (sprinkler, drip or bubbler)
- Daily weather conditions at the site
Information about each of these variables is needed to create an intelligent watering schedule for your landscape. And, when any one of these variables change, water use must be immediately recalculated to avoid overwatering and other problem conditions, such as plant wilt caused by sudden heat. The ET Water patent–pending landscape irrigation system delivers precision watering to you for the first time.