MANASOTA & PEACE RIVER BBDs Meeting Notebook 10-21-09.docx

N221
Winter Haven Smart Controller Pilot Project
Project Type Cooperative Funding
AOR(s)
Water Supply
Basin(s) Peace River
Cooperator(s)
Winter Haven
Project Manager BADER, TAMMY
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
Description
The City of Winter Haven is proposing a pilot project using smart (ET) controller devices. The city will identify
commercial customers with existing irrigation accounts that are not efficient water users though the utility billing
records. Smart controllers are a relatively new and emerging technology, and may be appropriate for more complex
irrigation systems with multiple clocks and zones (i.e., larger, commercial properties). They estimate or measure
depletion of available plant soil moisture in order to operate an irrigation system, replenishing water as needed while
minimizing excess water use. A properly programmed smart controller requires initial site specific set-up and will make
irrigation schedule adjustments, including run times and required cycles, throughout the irrigation season without
human intervention. The city will identify 50 customers with separate irrigation meters, evaluate irrigation system of
each participant to ensure there are no leaks or broken sprinklers, purchase smart controllers and irrigation contractor
to install smart controllers, and track monthly water consumption using utility billing records. Throughout the duration of
the project, landscapes evaluations will be performed to monitor the health of the landscape.
Benefits
It is expected that the smart controllers will achieve an anticipated savings of 340,000 gallons per day.
Costs
The total cost of this project is estimated to be $45,000, of which the Peace River Basin is requested to fund 50
percent, or $22,500. Funding in the amount of $22,500 has been budgeted in FY2010. The estimated cost/benefit ratio
calculated at an 8% annual interest rate, over 5 years is $0.09/1000 gallons for the project.
Additional Information
The City of Winter Haven has an ordinance adopting SWFWMD emergency watering restrictions which provides for
enforcement and fines by both the Police and Code Enforcement Departments. There is also a tiered utility rate
structure in place that discourages high consumption of potable water. The city currently tracks and send postcards to
all commercial accounts (with separate irrigation meters) that exceed 50,000 gallons of irrigation demand each month.
Postcard reminders to each of these customers that they are High Irrigation Users, including their specific one day per
week of permitted irrigation. The savings is based on the reduction of each 50 customer accounts from their current
irrigation demand to 50,000 gallons each month. The city did discuss using the University of Florida to help track and
compile data, however because this is a pilot program with only 50 customers, the city did not see the need to contract
with the University.
Prior
Funding
Cumulative FY 2009 FY2010
Transfers Funding Funding
District Budgeted - Ad Valorem Based
Revenue
020 Peace River Basin 0 0 0 25,241
0 25,241
Project Funds Not Budgeted by the
District
City of Winter Haven 0 0 0 22,500
0 22,500
Total:
Future
Funding
Total
Funding
$47,741
Critical Project Milestones Projected Amended Actual
Contract Execution 12/31/09
020 - Peace River Basin 356