Our onsite sprinkler survey program is a FREE, comprehensive assessment offered to Medford and White City customers for the design, operation, and management of their irrigation system.
Surveys are performed during the summer months, and consist of a detailed inspection of your current system, including:
- Design elements
- Hardware selection
- Functionality of system components
- Distribution uniformity
- Water scheduling
Through this process, you’ll learn how you can save water and money while still maintaining a healthy and attractive landscape!
The 7 steps to a Sprinkler Survey are:
1
Review historic water use report.
The purpose of this review is to establish a baseline for your water usage. Being able to compare historic usage to projected usage further enhances the recommendations provided by the survey.
2
Information on rebates, programs, and resources.
The goal of all the programs provided by Medford Water exist to serve the community by reducing excess water usage to a more efficient state. Participating in these programs not only reduce your water bill but internally helps to prolong the life expectancy of our aging infrastructure.
3
Evaluating controller settings.
All of our Sprinkler Surveys start at the controller. We capture the current program to see what current usage is before we provide any recommendations. Then we manually run each zone to look for any leaks or inefficiencies.
4
Performing a catch can test (if necessary).
The purpose of a Catch Can Test is to determine the distribution uniformity of your irrigation system. This test primarily highlights coverage issues with the spacing or spray patterns of your irrigation system. The test is lengthy and is not typically performed during a typical Sprinkler Survey.
5
Calculating flow rate for each zone.
Flow rate is the measure of the volume of water going through the meter when an irrigation zone is watering. This metric will allow you to determine how much water your irrigation system uses when it runs.
6
Creating a custom watering schedule.
The watering schedule that we use is based on the evapotranspiration data for the area. The rate of evaporation and the amount of water that the plant/landscape needs are expressed in inches. We convert that data into minutes per week that you need to water your plants/landscape. With that data, we can then customize your watering schedule to meet your needs.
7
Providing a written report of findings.
After the Survey is complete, Medford Water staff will produce a report of the visit with recommendations to make your irrigation system more efficient. This report will be your tool to make the necessary adjustments to your system.
If you are a Medford or White City customer, schedule a free sprinkler survey by:
- Emailing conserve@medfordwater.org
- Calling either of these numbers:
