http://www.jbirrigation.com/coupons-and-specials

Channel 2 News reporter Carl Willis covered the Water Rate story earlier this June.

For you convienience and further information we provided the link below to the story on Channel 2's website...

http://www.click2houston.com/news/23765657/detail.html

All MUD districts under The Woodlands Joint Powers Agency...The Woodlands MUD #2, Montgomery County MUD's #6, 7, 36, 39, 40, 46, 47, 60, 67, and The Woodlands Metro Center MUD. Up to $150 rebate.

The following taken directly from www.wjpa.net

We offer a 50% rebate, up to $150.00, on the purchase and installation of a rain sensor, or the installation of an ET Smart Controller, for your sprinkler system.  A rain sensor will detect the presence of rain and shut off your system automatically.  This alleviates the large problem in The Woodlands of numerous sprinklers running during a rain event.  The ET Smart Controller offers several ways to save water.  It considers evaporation and transpiration rates, humidity, temperature and rainfall before allowing the sprinkler system to apply water. Contact Customer Service at 281-367-1271 for information on obtaining your rebate, up to $150.00!

Water is wasted and many lawns are over-watered. Water District officials say over-watering is the most frequent mistake homeowners make in lawn care. Too much water promotes a shallow root system, which causes grass and plants to become vulnerable to hot/dry weather. The demand for water is ever-increasing.

Residents and business owners are urged by water district operators to install the new "Smart" controllers on their automatic sprinkler systems. These "Smart" Controller/Sensor combos don't just detect rain and shut down. They detect moisture, temperature, and humidity and self adjust accordingly. Each "Smart" controller is uploaded from the factory with about 30 years of historical weather data for your area. The historical data is used to "predict" upcoming rainfall and temperatures. The "Smart" controller adjusts water output accordingly, automatically.

These types of "Smart" control systems are important because they save water, and in turn, save money. The cost savings could be substantial during a wet year. Our goal is to have all of our customers fitted with this technology. Basically, we think the "Smart" controllers are just the prudent thing to do. The State of Texas thinks so too. Recently The Texas Legislature has passed laws requiring all new systems to have rain and/or weather sensing technology installed. The aquifer that supplies our area with water is being over-pumped, and whether the device saves 100 gallons or 10,000 gallons we think it is worth it.

More information on SMART controllers can be found at: http://www.rainbirdespsmt.com/_pdf/esp-smt/Sales_Brochure.pdf  the manufacturer of the SMART control systems we install. 

Chances are your professional contractor programmed the controller when they were finished installing the system. They probably also gave you a schedule (or schedules) you could enter into the controller during different seasons of the year. If not, you should contact an irrigation professional in your area who can give you guidance as to the number of minutes each zone should water, and on how many days of the week.

Each climate has different requirements; each plant material will have varying needs, as well. In addition, be sure to account for the fact that different types of sprinklers apply water at varying rates. Please click on the link for more information on how to determine correct watering times: www.wateright.org

The best way to get your system up and running in the spring is to have JB Irrigation and Services go through your startup procedure. We will be able to check and make sure all the components are working properly and help to ensure that your system is ready to work for the season.

Contact us to schedule an appointment.

If you decide to attempt to start up the irrigation system yourself, please refer to this checklist for important steps to follow.

1. Before turning on any water to the system, make sure all manual drain valves are returned to the "closed" position.
2. Open the system main water valve slowly to allow pipes to fill with water gradually. If these valves are opened too quickly, sprinkler main lines are subjected to high surge pressures, uncontrolled flow and water hammer.
3. Verify the proper operation of each zone valve by manually activating it from the controller.
4. Walk through each station on the controller, checking for proper operation of the zone. Check for proper operating pressure (low pressure indicates a line break or missing sprinkler), proper rotation and adjustment of sprinkler heads, and adequate coverage. Check and clean filters on poorly performing sprinklers. Adjust heads to grade as necessary.
5. Reprogram the controller for automatic watering. Replace the controller back-up battery if necessary.
6. Uncover and clean the system rain sensor, if applicable.
7. Finish and clean any in-line filters for drip irrigation zones.

It’s a good idea to check it frequently during the peak watering season to make sure that everything is functioning correctly and water is being applied as needed to the plant material. Users will often do a quick run through of each zone after they have finished mowing and trimming. A handy tool to have installed in your irrigation system is one of our popular remote controls. These time-saving devices allow you to walk around your property and turn the valves on and off without having to keep going back to the controller.