Irrigation management system upgrades will save district thousands of dollars

Ethernet server device

Installation of new Ethernet communication converters to help manage the district’s irrigation systems will save the district thousands of dollars in the coming years.

Using these new Ethernet devices, which were installed last year at district facilities, will allow greater efficiency and more cost effective remote monitoring of irrigation systems.

Keith Hetzler and Tom Groot, irrigation control specialists, and the Telecommunications Department coordinated efforts to successfully support the installation of Ethernet communication converters in place of old phone lines and modems within the district’s existing Central Irrigation Management Control System. This system monitors and controls irrigation systems using weather, vegetation type, and other data to help the District conserve water usage.

Elimination of phone lines and use of advance technology will result in an annual savings of $22,000 for the district. This changeover in hardware will realize an immediate payback in its first year of operation.

For additional information, contact Jim Hallauer, Planned Projects Supervisor, Scripps Mesa Zone at jhallauer@sandi.net or 858-627-7116. To learn more about the district’s Irrigation Management System, visit http://www.sandi.net/site/Default.aspx?PageID=858