Smart Irrigation Reduces Water Waste
Over-irrigating in the land of 10,000 lakes
Few people realize that the land of 10,000 lakes may soon face a water shortage. While surface water is abundant in our region, the majority of the metro relies on groundwater. This out-of-sight natural resource is far from limitless. Groundwater isn’t replenished as quickly as surface water, and our supply is already dwindling.
The Prairie du Chien aquifer underlies much of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin and serves as our primary source of groundwater. Current rates of water use are not sustainable. If these rates persist as population continues to grow, some areas may have less than 50% of water they need by 2030.
You can help
Smart irrigation controllers work with pre-existing residential lawn sprinkler systems to water lawns efficiently. The controllers monitor rainfall and temperature to water only when necessary. Users report data to the controller to make sure their yard, including gardens and sunny patches of grass, stay green. Residents that switch to smart controllers save an estimated 30,000 gallons of water each year.