What has Frisco Done Now?

Frisco Allowed to Water Twice a Week

Yesterday I posted my thoughts on why Frisco should keep it's very modest water restrictions. Well, the City Council voted against me last night and decided to relax these important restrictions. Frisco residents will no longer have to water their yards just once a week.

In fact I've been watering 2-3 times a week all spring. In May, I watered every day for 8 days in a row! And I haven't turned my sprinkler system on yet. It's called rainfall and fortunately it has been plentiful in North Texas this year. My grass is as green as my "sprinkling" neighbors, my foundation is fine and my water bill is relatively low.

If you read my blog regularly you know I always boast about my cities of Frisco and Celina. I love our city government and how well they are dealing with our unprecedented growth. So instead of turning the tone of this post negative I'll share something positive that came from the Council last night.

Frisco has done extensive research into a new device called an ETC -- it stands for evapotranspiration controller. Residents will be able to water whenever they want, if they install this special device. It's a sensor that hooks up to your sprinkler system and measures weather patterns, humidity, and soil moisture. "It calculates how much water is being lost to the atmosphere, and then it basically tells the unit when to come on and replace that moisture," said city public works director Gary Hartwell.

Frisco leaders are so sold on this technology, they're offering a $100 rebate to residents who purchase and install one of eight approved brands. The ET controllers sell for between $400 and $1000 each. While I won't be rushing out to purchase one, I will start reading up on them. And maybe when our next dryspell hits I'll rely on technology rather than Mother Nature.

What are your thoughts?

Where can I find more information on ET controllers?

• Bureau of Reclamation report on residential ET Controllers provides comprehensive overview.
• The Irrigation Association's SWAT Committee studies developments to ET controllers, or "smart" water application technologies.
• California Urban Water Conservation Council ET Controller Page includes research studies and lists of manufacturers.

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