ET Water Systems looks to tap retrofit market

ET Water Systems helps landscapers save water.

ET Water Systems, manufacturer of automated weather-based irrigation control systems, says its technology can slash water use while ensuring compliance with California water laws.

The Bay Area–based company’s technology can cut irrigation-related water use by up to 50 percent, offering a return on investment within two years, CEO Pat McIntyre says.

Through a Web-based interface, customers enter their landscape profiles of their sites. ET’s system then collects data from weather stations and customizes each site’s watering needs based on weather conditions.

ET Water Systems’ technology can also save on labor costs for landscaping contractors, McIntyre says. Rather than having to physically visit sites to adjust irrigation levels—in the event of water-use restrictions, for example—changes can be made remotely, either online or through a smartphone application.

Most of ET Water Systems’ customers are commercial properties, school districts and municipalities, though the company's tools are also suitable for residential applications. In late 2009, the company launched its SmartWorks replacement panel that can work in place of about 70 percent of existing irrigation control panels—with the current slow pace of new construction and landscaping, that allows ET Water Systems to tap into the retrofit market, according to McIntyre.

The company is also poised to benefit from a California law that went into effect in 2010 regulating water use in landscaping. According to the new law, landscape areas of more than 2,500 square feet must have an automatic irrigation controller.