GARLAND, TX, July 10, 2006 -- Over 1,500 Weathermatic SmartLine systems are currently being distributed to southern California homeowners in a far-reaching controller exchange program sponsored by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
"The SL1600 Controller and SLW20 On-Site Weather Station were selected because they monitor and use information about environmental conditions for a specific location and landscape," said Brodie Bruner, vice president of sales and marketing at Weathermatic.
"These include soil moisture, rain, slope, sprinkler type, plant evaporation and transpiration rates and plant type."
The Metropolitan Water District has been teaming up with local southern California water agencies from Ventura to San Diego to sponsor a series of monthly controller exchange events.
Homeowners are invited to register in advance and asked to bring in their old controllers, which they then exchange for a new SmartLine system at no cost. On-site irrigation specialists demonstrate how the system works. All SmartLine systems were provided by a regional wholesale distributor.
"The exchange program introduces homeowners to the latest in SmartLine water-saving technology," said Bruner, "plus, it's generating a number of calls to local contractors for installations.
"Irrigation contractors who participate in the SmartLine Certification Program are at the top of the referral list for SmartLine installations," he said.
Working in concert with the SLW20 Weather Station, SmartLine takes the guesswork out of irrigation scheduling by automatically adjusting the irrigation program 365 times a year, rather than the typical two or three times in 12 months.
The SLW20 On-Site Weather Station monitors ambient air temperature and rain or freeze conditions daily. This data is relayed to the SL1600 controller, which calculates ET loss each day and schedules irrigation to replace it.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving 18 million people. The exchange program is funded by the California Department of Water Resources.
Weathermatic's SmartLine system won the Irrigation Association's "Best New Product of the Year Award" and the "European Irrigation Innovation Award." The water-saving system also recently was rated a "Best Buy" by Consumers Digest.
Weathermatic (www.weathermatic.com) is a Dallas, TX-based irrigation equipment manufacturer that produces a full line of water-saving rotors, sprays, valves, control systems and weather stations. Its products are available through a worldwide network of professional irrigation distributors.
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