• California American Water funds weather-based irrigation controller system
LOS ANGELES, CA, June 22, 2009 -- California American Water announced today that Savannah Memorial Park, one of the oldest protestant cemeteries in Southern California, has received a California American Water grant funding the installation of a weather-based irrigation controller system on the park's property. The new technology will provide Savannah Memorial Park, located in the city of Rosemead, the ability to better control and monitor their irrigation system, enabling them to save water.
"With this new technology, we will no longer have to manually adjust our sprinkler system when it rains or the weather gets hotter," said Randy Wiggins, President of Savannah Memorial Park. "I commend California American Water's work and support. We are excited about the opportunity to lower our water use and continue to provide a beautiful and well maintained cemetery for the community and future generations."
The upgrades include replacing the park's aging sprinkler timers with a weather-based irrigation controller system that includes:
• 2 - Weathermatic SL1600 base controllers
• 2 - SLW20 weather monitors
• 2 - SLM4 modules
"The weather-based irrigation controllers will use weather data to create a watering schedule that adjusts automatically as the weather conditions change throughout the year," said Garry Hofer, California American Water's Los Angeles Operations Manager. "The controller sets the watering schedule based on the type of plants, irrigation system, soil type, and various weather factors such as temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind."
Hofer stated that the amount of water saved after installing a weather-based irrigation controller varies based on the size of irrigated landscape area, previous amount of watering, condition and maintenance of the existing irrigation system, and annual weather trends. "The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California estimates that the average homeowner can save 13,500 gallons a year, and commercial properties an average of 105,900 gallons per year, by upgrading to a weather-based irrigation controller."
Founded in 1850, Savannah Memorial Park serves the city of El Monte, the first American settlement in Southern California (California Landmark No. 975) and the end of the Santa Fe Trail, as well as the surrounding areas. The cemetery encompasses an area of slightly more than four acres with more than 3,700 documented burials that includes the remains of many of the original pioneers of the San Gabriel Valley.
California American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water, provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to more than 600,000 people.
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