Frisco Approves Twice-A-Week Watering Plus ET Controller Incentive

June 5, 2007

Jason Overstreet Reporting

Frisco residents will no longer have to water their yards just once a week, which is good news for those who love lush lawns and flourishing flowers. Jason Overstreet joins us from Frisco with details.

Steve, Right now people living in Frisco can only water one day a week. But tonight the City Council is considering revising those tight restrictions and one of the things considered in the proposal has to do with these blue signs which could potentially allow people to water any day of the week or everyday of the week. Here is how it works.
The blue signs go in yards for people who have ET controllers on their sprinkler systems. ET controllers are a fairly new technology that monitors weather conditions and knows when a yard needs water. City staffers believe the ET controllers will lead to less water use than any other plan so residents who get the controllers will be exempt from watering day restrictions.

Gary Hartwell - Frisco Public Works Director: "With those factors of wind speed, temperature, relative humidity, and solar radiation, it calculates how much water is being lost to the atmosphere and then it basically tells the unit when to come on to replace that moisture."

Typical homeowners should get some water restriction relief tonight too. The city council is looking at now allowing twice a week watering following similar guidelines that are now in place in Plano and Richardson. As for the ET controllers, they usually work with your existing sprinkler system and cost between $400 and $1000. Reporting live in Frisco, Jason Overstreet Fox 4 News.

Frisco leaders are so sold on the technology, they're offering a $100 rebate to residents who purchase and install one of eight approved brands.