SWAT initiative expands efforts to promote water-efficient technologies and practices

Exciting changes are coming to the Smart Water Application Technologies initiative. Since 2002, this coalition of water purveyors, equipment manufacturers and irrigation professionals has been working to promote innovative irrigation technologies and practices. In 2018, these efforts will expand to include additional programs and resources that assist water providers in promoting landscape water-use efficiency.

SWAT will seek to build on the strong relationship between the water providers and irrigation professionals to engage other landscape stakeholders. New in 2018 will be SWAT’s expansion of its public outreach efforts, providing support to water managers around the country. The new educational focus will benefit water agencies as they develop programs and initiatives to educate consumers and landscape professionals about efficient irrigation products and practices. The SWAT partnership will coordinate with water providers to increase access to educational programming and technical assistance while also promoting regional resource sharing.

Additionally, SWAT will look for ways to recognize the accomplishments of organizations that promote efficient irrigation technologies and practices. SWAT recognizes that water providers around the country are taking proactive, local approaches to ensure the efficient use of water.

SWAT will also continue its work identifying and promoting innovative and emerging irrigation technologies. Moving forward, standards development will be a major focus of the SWAT initiative. SWAT will keep developing draft testing protocols for identified landscape irrigation products. SWAT will not, however, remain a testing organization. Instead, these draft protocols will then be forwarded to standard developers to make them into American National Standards. Standards can then be easily adopted by other organizations, such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program, water agencies or other code developers in order to promote the benefits of irrigation technologies to enhance irrigation efficiency.

Stay tuned for more announcements in 2018. Information and resources will be available at www.swatirrigation.org.