It’s no secret that the past few years have been uncharacteristically dry in certain parts of the United States — most notably in the Southwest. The state of California is now in its fourth year of an epic drought which triggered a number of conservation measures throughout the state. In January 2014, Governor Jerry Brown declared a State of Emergency, and in April 2015, he ordered a 25 percent reduction in water usage statewide.
In an effort to curb excessive watering, many towns, counties and municipalities and have instituted programs to offer rebates to property owners that replace traditional turf with drought-tolerant plants, artificial turf or landscaping pavers. Currently, a number of these programs are quickly running out of funding, and other solutions will need to be implemented to effectively conserve water in the region.
Recognizing the many benefits of turf grass and green areas, Toro offers a number of irrigation products that effectively save water, without having to eliminate natural, beautiful turf. Apart from the very obvious benefits of natural turf like producing oxygen and reducing runoff and pollution, healthy turf can also promote fitness and vitality, while at the same time provide economic benefits by increasing property values.
Especially during uncertain times like what Southern California is experiencing, Toro believes there’s a fine line between excessive water use and maintaining healthy turf grass for the right reasons. This is one of the driving factors behind Toro’s line of Water Smart® products, which are all designed with the primary goal of helping grounds management teams responsibly maintain their green spaces.
Toro offers many control and delivery products that help sustain green spaces on parks, sports fields and other public grounds while using less water:
- Precision™ Soil Sensors: The Toro Precision™ Soil Sensor reduces water waste by continuously measuring moisture levels in the soil and only allowing the system to operate when water is needed.
- Evolution® Series Controllers: The Evolution® control panel helps keep turf lush and green with the touch of a button, and water flows only when it is needed using the Smart Connect® sensors.
- Scheduling Advisor™ Software: This software allows users to plan and program the frequency and duration of their watering schedules, which significantly minimizes the risk of over or under watering.
- Precision™ Series Spray Nozzles: Toro Precision Series Spray Nozzles feature 35% lower flow rates, more consistent size water droplets, improved uniformity, better edge definition and a 1” per hour matched precipitation rate across all models.
- Precision™ Series Rotating Nozzles: Toro Precision Series Rotating Nozzles deliver wind-resistant, multi-stream, multi-trajectory patterns for more efficient coverage than standard spray nozzles.
- Pressure Regulating Spray Heads: Toro sprinklers can be outfitted with our in-riser pressure regulator for precise pressure control. Adjusting sprinklers to recommended operating pressures eliminates water waste by preventing misting and fogging of spray nozzles.
To learn more about these Water Smart products or more about the drought visit Watersmart.Toro.com.
In addition to offering the Water Smart product line, Toro employees Mike Baron and Robert Starr, have also taken to the airwaves with their combined 50 plus years of irrigation experience to help share the importance of responsible irrigation by hosting KCAA’s Water Zone radio show. The segment airs weekly, and reaches an audience in the Riverside – San Bernardino, California region. Click here to listen to the podcasts.
By offering these innovative products, and helping educate the public about responsible watering practices, Toro is proud of their role in providing an alternative solution to customers in challenging times. Through these efforts, Toro is practicing what they preach by exemplifying the company purpose; to help customers enrich the beauty, productivity and sustainability of the land.
