Smart irrigation controllers (SICs) can save water by adapting watering schedules to climate and soil conditions. The potential benefit of SICs is particularly high in southwestern U.S. states, where the arid climate makes water scarcer and increases watering needs of landscapes. A number of studies have tested the ability of SICs to save water in residential and small commercial settings.
Water Scarcity and Water Use in the United States
The southwestern United States is the driest part of the country, and much of it was developed in conjunction with large water works projects intended to support an increasing population (Reisner 1986). In the recent past, Arizona and Nevada have been two of the fastest growing parts of the United States, but also the driest (Day and Conway 2009). The West is also the largest user of water for landscaping and agriculture in the nation. Eighty-five percent of irrigation withdrawals are used in 17 western states, with California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, and Arkansas being the largest users in all of the United States (Kenny et al. 2009). On the level of home water use, it is estimated that in Las Vegas 70% of residential drinking water is for exterior uses, which is mostly landscaping (Devitt et al. 2008).
Read the complete article online at the Journal of Industrial Ecology