As the California Energy Commission advances its efforts to enact water efficiency regulation for landscape irrigation controllers, contractors across the nation should prepare themselves to navigate the ripple effects.
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Understanding these potential changes isn’t just crucial for those in the Golden State — it’s relevant to every professional in the industry, says Nathan Bowen, Irrigation Association advocacy and public affairs vice president.
“California’s move continues a trend we’re seeing in other states like Colorado and Nevada,” he says. “Much like the recent requirements for WaterSense-labeled pressure regulating spray bodies, a number of states are now beginning to mandate that controllers meet WaterSense specifications. Essentially, what was once a voluntary program is being repurposed into a regulatory standard.”
Colorado and Nevada both enacted requirements for WaterSense-labeled controllers in 2023. Nevada’s law, Nevada State Bill 220, went into effect in January and requires WaterSense-labeled controllers for new and remodeled construction, while Colorado’s law, House Bill 23-1161, goes into effect in 2026 and outlaws the sale of irrigation controllers that don’t bear the WaterSense label.
The EPA’s WaterSense label for weather-based irrigation controllers, established in 2011, has been a key tool in promoting water efficiency in residential and commercial landscapes across the United States. WaterSense also developed a label for soil moisture-based irrigation controllers that was published in February 2021. WaterSense-labeled irrigation controllers are designed to replace standard clock-based controllers. According to an EPA WaterSense brochure, switching to a WaterSense-labeled controller can save an average home approximately 15,000 gallons of water each year. The potential nationwide impact is significant: if every home equipped with an automatic sprinkler system adopted these smarter controllers, it’s estimated that the U.S. could conserve 390 billion gallons of water annually. These savings could translate into up to $4.5 billion in reduced water costs. This amount of saved water is equivalent to meeting the annual water needs of nearly 5 million average American homes.
California’s controller connection
As the California Energy Commission considers new efficiency standards, the success of the WaterSense program offers a blueprint for the broader adoption of smart irrigation practices and there are similarities between the two, according to Kris Loomis, QWEL, CLIA, CID, Sonoma Water water use efficiency senior programs specialist.
“At first glance, the proposed California Energy Commission efficiency standards for irrigation controllers look similar to the EPA WaterSense specifications for soil moisture-based and weather-based irrigation controllers,” Loomis says. “However, the CEC-proposed standards include some complexities that vary from what consumers may be accustomed to.”
The standard would necessitate that all controllers come equipped with an on-site weather sensor and the capability to interface with either a rainfall device or a moisture sensor, including those that are battery operated. Loomis noted that battery-operated controllers present a larger surprise, as very few of them currently have the capability to perform at this level. Typically, battery-powered controllers might have the functionality to work with either a rain sensor or a soil moisture sensor, but not a weather sensor that can monitor real-time conditions or record historical weather data.
The standard also recommends that irrigation controllers and the required equipment should be sold together as a package. At present, no DC-powered controllers are available that also feature a soil moisture sensor of the same brand listed on EPA WaterSense; instead, these soil moisture sensors are marketed as separate items that could be compatible with various brands, according to Loomis.
“This can certainly be a bump in the road for compliance if there are no qualifying units,” says Loomis.
Historically engaged
The Irrigation Association has been involved with the development of the standards since 2017 when the commission developed the initial proposal.
According to a presentation by the commission, the proposed standard is “cost-effective, technically feasible, and would save about 4 billion gallons of water and 14 gigawatt-hours of electricity for the first year the standard is in effect and about 60 billion gallons per year and 213 GWh of electricity at full stock turnover. Consumers will save about $915 per landscape irrigation controller over the life of the device through reduced water use.”
“Essentially, what was once a voluntary program is being repurposed into a regulatory standard.”
– Nathan Bowen, Irrigation Association
Most recently, the IA weighed in on the proposal in comments to the CEC in early March 2024.
In the letter, the association expressed concerns with both the practical ramifications of using a voluntary labeling program as the basis of state regulatory requirements, as well as the compliance challenges associated with adding additional state-specific requirements. “We have concerns,” says Bowen.
The IA suggests excluding battery-operated controllers from the regulations or delaying their inclusion, citing their use in locations lacking stable power and Wi-Fi. They also propose that new regulations take effect in January 2026 to align with the irrigation product sales cycle and minimize disruptions. Furthermore, the IA emphasizes the importance of educational programs to ensure effective implementation of the standards, recommending funding to support these initiatives.
“In crafting our response to the proposed efficiency standards for landscape irrigation controllers, we aimed to convey both our support for advancing water and energy conservation in California and our concerns about the practical implications of these regulations,” says Bowen. “Our comments to the CEC on behalf of the industry emphasized the need for a balanced approach that leverages existing successful programs like EPA’s WaterSense and seek to avoid unnecessary complications that could hinder, rather than help, our shared conservation goals,” says Bowen.
Contractor considerations
Loomis says the best thing contractors can do is start to pay attention now and educate themselves on the potential changes that are coming.
“The most critical change and the biggest surprise to contractors may come at the point of purchase if it is required to purchase the irrigation controller and the required peripheral equipment together at the checkout,” says Loomis. “A contractor may be replacing a controller that has an existing, operable sensor, but may need to purchase a new one at the same time to comply. Whereas, the WaterSense specification allows consumers to upgrade some controllers by adding peripheral equipment that add smart features to a controller that they are already familiar with. The CEC specification change will require forward thinking before running to the irrigation store to make a purchase.”
To offset any of these surprises Loomis recommends a practical approach: education and awareness.
“In order for contractors to stay ahead of the regulations, they should mentally prepare to avoid any surprises,” says Loomis. “This could include doing some research on controller capabilities and compatible sensors. They may have to rethink what their favorite model of irrigation controller is if it is unable to provide the level of options that may be required for the landscape. Contractors should look for educational opportunities that will inform them of the regulations, help guide them and answer questions along the way.”
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