Rain Sensors Available At Water Conservation Programs

As Central Florida's drought enters its fourth year, two Highlands County agencies are teaming up to help homeowners conserve water while sprinkling their lawns.

With a $4,950 grant, the county's Soil and Water Conservation District will be giving away rain sensors, which automatically turn off an irrigation system when it is raining.

Starting next month, homeowners can sign up for the free rain sensors as Corine Burgess, natural resources specialist for the district, visits homeowner associations and talks about water conservation.

"We're teaming up with the (Highlands County) Cooperative Extension Office," Burgess said.

Dee Dee Jacobson, environmental horticulture agent for the extension office, will attend the homeowners association meetings with Burgess and give a presentation on the Florida Friendly Yard program.

Burgess said her office has 225 rain sensors to give away, purchased with the $4,950 grant awarded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. With a similar grant last year, the local soil and water conservation district gave out low-flow showerheads.

Homeowners can sign up for the free rain sensors when they attend the presentation by Burgess and Jacobson at their homeowners' association meeting. The presentations will start in April, but a schedule has not yet been set, Burgess said.

"We're going to be going to different homeowners associations over the next several months," she said.

People who obtain a free rain sensor will agree to let a soil & water staffer or a volunteer inspect their irrigation system, to make sure that the rain sensor was installed correctly and is working properly.

Follow-up surveys will be conducted to determine water savings.

"Obviously, there is no sense watering in the rain," Burgess said. "And it doesn't do your lawn any good to over-water it. This is another attempt to help people save water and save on their water bills."

Jacobson's presentation on Florida Friendly Yards includes information on planting native, drought-tolerant plants and ways to make the most efficient use of rain water, including capturing it in a cistern or rain barrel.

While the rain sensor giveaway is limited to 225 homeowners, SWFWMD officials are hoping that the presentations on water conservation will reach about 2,000 people at the homeowners meetings.

Robyn Felix, a spokesperson for the water management district, said water conservation remains important as the region's drought continues.

"Our 16-county area has been experiencing a drought for over three years," she said. Highlands is one of nine counties in the district still under a "severe" water shortage, classified as a phase two shortage within the district's four-phase classification of shortages.

Water restrictions, limiting homeowners to irrigating their lawns once a week, were imposed in January 2007 remain in effect.

The other nine counties in the SWFWMD are classified as having an "extreme" or phase three water shortage, Felix said.

"For the last 36 months, district wide, we have about a 30-inch rainfall deficit, and that is a lot of rain we have not received over the last three years," she said.