Landscape Irrigation Controllers

Residential outdoor water use in the United States accounts for more than 7 billion gallons of water each day, mainly for landscape irrigation. Experts estimate that as much as 50% of this water is wasted due to overwatering caused by inefficiencies in irrigation methods and systems. Existing irrigation control technologies can significantly reduce overwatering by applying water only when plants need it.

WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers, which act like a thermostat for your sprinkler system telling it when to turn on and off, use local weather and landscape conditions to tailor watering schedules to actual conditions on the site. Instead of irrigating using a controller with a clock and a preset schedule, WaterSense labeled controllers allow watering schedules to better match plants' water needs. With proper installation, programming, and maintenance, homeowners and businesses can use WaterSense labeled controllers instead of standard clock-timer controllers on their existing systems, and no longer worry about wasted water.

To earn the WaterSense label, landscape irrigation controllers must be able to adequately meet the watering needs of a landscape without overwatering. As with all other WaterSense labeled products, WaterSense labeled controllers will be third party certified to ensure that they meet the WaterSense criteria for efficiency and performance.

Read the Weather-Based Irrigation Controller Fact Sheet (PDF) (1 pg, 216K, About PDF) for more information.

Technical Information

Interested in finding out more about the draft specifications for weather-based irrigation controllers? Please visit the Weather-Based Irrigation Controller Specification page for more detailed information.

Manufacturers, retailers, and distributors that produce or sell weather-based irrigation controllers are welcome to become a WaterSense partner.