Plainview Water District (PWD) announced it is building upon the success of its 2018 smart irrigation controller rebate program by offering 50 rebates of up to $75 to qualified applicants who replace their standard irrigation timers with the water-saving technology. The program, which is a part of the district’s “Preserve Plainview” initiative, hopes to improve upon the large water saving results it saw during the program’s inaugural year.
“The results of last year’s rebate program are quite impressive and show just how effective this technology is at conserving water,” said PWD Chairman Marc Laykind. “Long Islanders in general consume water significantly more during the summer months to meet the demand of their irrigation systems. Most don’t realize that a substantial portion of this water is unnecessarily wasted. Smart controllers significantly reduce the amount of wasted water, keeping both your lawn and pocket filled
with green.”
According to the district, last year’s program resulted in 1.7 million gallons of water being saved in the third quarter of 2018. That equates to a more than 40 percent decrease in water usage. On average, participating residents experienced a decrease of 38,000 gallons when compared to individualized usage in the third quarter of 2017, translating to approximately $80 in savings. The district says one household saw their consumption drop 185,000 gallons in a single quarter with the technology installed.
“We knew through our research that this technology was promising, but our expectations were certainly exceeded once we saw the actual results and how well the smart systems worked,” said PWD Commissioner Amanda Field. “It’s extremely encouraging to see these results and think of the potential for collective savings should more of our residents with an irrigation system make the switch.”
Smart irrigation controllers work to reduce water usage by utilizing information such as local weather conditions, plant type and soil moisture levels to determine the appropriate amount of water needed for landscaping purposes. The systems automatically adjust to weather conditions, allowing lawns and gardens to thrive under optimal watering conditions without user intervention.
“These systems essentially take all of the guess work out of lawn watering when programmed correctly, and they know what it will take to keep your lawn green and healthy without overwatering,” said PWD Commissioner Andrew Bader. “The convenience of this technology and its ability with most models to be controlled from your smartphone or tablet really make it stand out. If you’re interested in taking advantage of this year’s rebate, don’t wait as program funding is limited.”
Funding for this program is limited so rebates will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information about how to apply for the smart irrigation rebate program, visit www.plainviewwater.org, call the district’s office at 516-931-6469 or email info@plainviewwater.org.
