SFWMD Approves Watering Day Variance for UgMO Soil Moisture Sensor System

Published on April 21, 2012 at 1:16 AM

By Andy Choi

UgMO, an environmental technology solutions company, has received approval from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) for its petition to allow watering day variance for its wireless soil moisture sensor system.

The company’s wireless sensors are designed for installation below the landscaping or grass area. They read the temperature and moisture in that particular irrigation zone and transmit the data to a base station. This station is connected to an irrigation clock, which controls the irrigation system. Based on the water content in the soil and the type of soil, the UgMO waters the area zone-by-zone, to maintain the most favorable moisture zone. The watering for each zone is controlled separately, which allows areas under the sun to receive more watering and areas under a shade to receive less watering, as the moisture takes more time to dry out.

Watering day restrictions have been implemented due to the high demand for water infrastructure and resources. This has often led to over-watering on the allowed days, and the intention to reduce water usage has not been met.

Certain towns do not have watering day restrictions as strict as that stipulated by the SFWMD. People living in such towns are eligible for the watering day variance but for those falling within the SFWMD, the UgMO wireless soil moisture sensor system is a suitable solution. Installation according to SFWMD’s program enables owners to be eligible for watering day variance.

UgMO has performed controlled studies and has demonstrated the ability of its system to save more water than the watering restrictions for two days per week. From its study in Palm City, UgMO found that the controlled properties consumed 50% less water than those on the two days per week program. The UgMO wireless soil moisture sensor system has helped the Palm Beach Atlantic University campus to save four million gallons of water within a period of six months.