Most Albuquerque homes have an irrigation box below ground in the yard that contains automatic valves, pressure reducers, and filters with backflow preventers next to the box. The automatic valves are wired to an irrigation controller that’s often in the garage, laundry room or an outside wall. Different variations of these controllers have been around since the 1960s and allow homeowners to adjust when and how long to water different zones. However in the early 2000s the proliferation of wireless technology and the internet ushered in the ‘Smart’ controller.
Smart controllers use WiFi and connect wirelessly to the local weather station. They will not water on days when it’s too windy or it has already rained. Most will also determine what your landscape’s water needs are and create a schedule based on data added during setup plus the information it receives from local weather stations. They connect to your smartphone or tablet so you have easy control over your system no matter where you are. Irrigation Designer Richard Perce says, “A smart controller adjusts your watering based on the local weather conditions which saves you money and water. But what I love the most is that you can turn your system on and off from the phone as you walk the line to find leaks. No more needing to run back and forth to the garage.”
Smart Controllers allow you to turn your system on and off without running back to the irrigation controller in the garage.
What is a smart irrigation controller?
Smart controllers use current and/or historic weather data to create a custom irrigation schedule.
Our study shows residents with traditional landscaping saved about $150 per year, or about 20% in landscape irrigation costs by installing a smart irrigation controller.
Popular models cost around $150, and with a 25% rebate on qualifying models, your investment pays for itself in less than a year-thanks to water savings alone!
Nearly all smart controllers use an intuitive phone app, making it easier for you to set up and to check for issues – no back & forth to your garage!
The Water Authority’s offers a smart controller rebate. The rebate is a 25% rebate, up to $100.00 and includes the purchase and professional installation of a smart controller.Installing a Smart controller provides the following benefits:
A healthy, beautiful landscape: Smart controllers help landscapes flourish and remain healthy by providing the right amount of water for each plant zone. Underwatered or overwatered landscapes can be unhealthy, unattractive and wasteful.
Savings of both water and money: These controllers help eliminate overwatering, so they may lower water-use expenses and conserve water particularly for high water users.
Convenience: Properly programmed smart controllers save end-users the time required to continuously monitor and adjust irrigation schedules in response to changing weather and seasons (If you’re installing your new smart controller in an outbuilding or detached garage you may need to verify that your wi-fi signals are strong enough to reach the smart controller.)
BESTSELLING SMART IRRIGATION CONTROLLERS, ABQ METRO AREA (2025)
Features: 8 and 16 zones options, inexpensive, connects to local weather stations, works with all modems, easy to use, robust water schedules based on plant type, soil type, sun exposure; and rebates are available. This controller must be controlled by an smartphone since it does not come with a screen on the controller itself. Costs around $200-$250) Integrates with Amazon Alexa and other smart home devices. Supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Features: 6 and 12 zone options, inexpensive, connects to local weather stations, easily controlled via your smartphone, can be mounted indoors or outdoors, works with all internet modems (2.4gh and 5gh), long-range Bluetooth radio, can adjust both at the controller and on your phone, easy to use, rebates available. Costs around ($125-$200) Integrates with Amazon Alexa. Model 57950 has a screen, dial and physical buttons you can use to adjust the settings (in addition to the smartphone app). Model 57995 does show the date time and weather you’ll need to use your smartphone to adjust the settings.
Features: If you have an existing Hunter X2 controller you can add WAND. It is a simple plug-in Wi-Fi option for any X2 controller model for online irrigation management from anywhere with an internet connection. Costs about $100 for the wand on your existing controller (costs between $80-$150), connects to local weather stations, easily controlled via your smartphone, can be mounted indoors or outdoors, works with only (2.4gh) internet modem, can adjust both at the controller and on your phone, easy to use, rebates available. Compatable with amazon alexa, control4 and homeseer home automation technology.
Features: 4 station base model but HPCs can go up to 23 zones, runs about $200, connects to local weather stations, easily controlled via your smartphone, can be mounted indoors or outdoors, works with only (2.4gh) internet modem, can adjust both at the controller and on your phone, easy to use, rebates available.
The Water Authority offers residential rebates of 25% up to $100, and commercial rebates of 25% up to $500, for Smart Controllers. The rebate can be used for both purchase of the controller and the cost of professional installation. Installation is quite easy and is a great weekend DIY project with a high return of investment. Before purchasing your new controller, make sure to visit the list of qualified WaterSense controllers located in the rebate section.
Most residents are unaware of the educational resources that the Water Authority (WA) provides to our community. These WA Education Department programs exemplify the WA’s commitment to water conservation and education which reach nearly 20,000 students each year. With the guiding goal “Save Water, Save the River,” these initiatives inspire young people to foster a lifelong appreciation for local water resources.
The Water Authority offers four free programs to students from Pre-K through high school, each aligned with NextGen Science standards and tailored to different age groups:
Puppet Show (Pre-K to 1st grade): Students sing, dance and learn about water through engaging performances, even making some puppets themselves. Over 1,000 lucky kids saw most likely their first live puppet show.
In-Class Activities (grades 1-3 and 5-12): Hands-on science activities connect classroom objectives with local conservation issues. Last year we were in classrooms presenting to nearly 9,000 students.
Trip to the River (4th grade): Over 6,000 fourth graders in the community participate in a free field trip to the Bosque, learning about the cottonwood forest’s ecology and human impact on the environment. Before the trip, students learn about the ecosystem in the classroom, then get the opportunity to get their hands dirty at the river. For about half of the students it’s their first trip to the river. The program encourages every child to become a steward of the environment, with many expressing their excitement and newfound appreciation for the river, "Every kid should come out and see this river."
Reclamation Tour (5th grade and up): Students visit the Southwest Reclamation Plant, exploring the journey of water from the plant back to the river and learning about the importance of sustaining water resources.
The Water Authority’s educational programs have earned national acclaim, receiving the Water Environment Federation Public Education and Outreach Award and the National Association of Clean Water Advocates award for Public Information and Education.
Collaboration is at the heart of these programs. Partnerships with organizations like the Bosque School, Explora, the ABQ BioPark Zoo, the Rio Grande Nature Center, and local museums create a network of educational opportunities. Students participate in activities such as releasing silvery minnows into the river, engaging in citizen science projects and joining community events like the upcoming summer 2026 Rio Rally scavenger hunt, which promotes sustainable practices and water conservation.
Students delivering silvery minnow to the Rio Grande.
Beyond school programs, the Water Authority supports continuing education for environmental engineers and community members, offering tours and exhibits that highlight the importance of water reclamation and conservation.
The Water Authority’s educational programs are more than just field trips — they are transformative experiences that cultivate environmental stewardship, scientific curiosity and community engagement. By connecting students with the river and local water resources, these initiatives ensure that the next generation is equipped to protect and cherish our most vital natural asset.
If you have a meter equipped with AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) as shown in the photo above, you can log into your Water Authority account and see your hour-by-hour usage. This may help you locate any issues in your house or yard, such as a continuous water leak in toilets or irrigation systems. It can help you understand how much water you use throughout your day and serve as a guide to better decision-making in how you use your water. If you don’t have an AMI meter installed yet, it will produce an average use graph for your home.
Start by going to www.abcwua.org. Click on “My Account” in the top menu bar (shown below with a red arrow) to create an account if you haven’t done so already. You’ll need your billing information. Once you’ve created an account, you can view and pay your bills, as well as see your daily water usage.
Here is an example of the account page. We are going to focus on the “View Water Usage” section. It can take a few moments to add the dashboard information.
Initially, you will have two screens in your dashboard: “Water Usage” and “My Progress.” You can expand each one by clicking on the icon in the top left corner (red arrows). This will make the information easier to read and provide access to some additional features.
Below is a graph that provides you with a glance of your daily usage, along with the average temperature for that day. Two features highlighted in this photo are: 1) the “+” sign will change the date parameter and provide hourly usage and 2) the “PNG” feature will export your usage chart if you want to save it as a picture.
On the right-hand side, where the red arrow is, the “PDF” feature allows you to download the current month’s hourly data. An example of this is shown in the following image.
Below is an example of an hourly chart of your water usage, with the hourly temperature shown as well. Note: You can view your actual usage on each line of the graph by hovering your pointer over it. This is where you may see a possible leak if you have vertical lines (hourly usage) each hour, daily. A red arrow highlights where you would see that.
Next, we’ll look at a monthly comparison. To do this, choose “Time Period Comparison” on the left (highlighted by the red arrow). This example shows consecutive months, but you can adjust the view using the “slider” [TS2] above the graph to click on the months. You can compare your usage for the same month from one year to the next. This is great if you are trying to track savings from changes in your household or irrigation.
You can add a threshold notification that will inform you when your water use passes a set amount. The threshold should start at your “normal” daily usage. So, if your normal usage in the winter is 100 gallons a day, you can add that as your threshold, and our system will notify you if you’ve gone above the threshold. This picture shows you how to add a threshold. You can add an email address or phone number to receive the notifications.
If you have more than one account that you watch over, you can go to the user profile tab and add additional account numbers to your profile.
Watch our How To Video below!
Author: Amos Arber, Water Conservation Program manager. Have a question about the article? AskAnExpert@abcwua.org
Your new xeric plants are in, and everything is looking good. What do you need to do to keep it that way? Start by looking at your irrigation controller. It may be programmed to apply water too frequently and/or for too long in order to get the plants started. If you hired a contractor, they may have set the controller to water every day because it’s easier than getting a call about a plant that doesn’t look great.
Many desert-friendly plants and trees evolved to survive on very little precipitation but also to make the most of abundant rainfall when it does happen. They’ll store the water in their roots or grow larger (and produce more seed for dry years) than they would with only adequate water. A xeriscaped yard doesn’t automatically “save” water — it is up to the homeowner to do the actual water saving by adjusting their irrigation controller. My dog would be “happier” if I fed her as much as she wanted, but it’s wasteful (among other things) to do so. Watering your desert-friendly plants too much may cause them to outgrow the space they were designed for, which might mean pruning them more than they need so they don’t grow against the house or over a path or outcompete other plants. Overwatering also creates lush, tender growth that is more attractive to pests and susceptible to frost damage.
A recent study in Arizona found that xeriscaped yards didn’t have reduced water usage because the homeowners applied the same amount of water as they would for a traditional yard with a lawn and non-natives.
Here are steps you can take to make sure you’re watering correctly for your new landscape and keeping your plants healthy:
Reduce the number of emitters if needed: The best way to do this is by cutting off the drip emitter and installing a “goof” plug in the end of the ¼ inch tubing. This is preferable to trying to pull the ¼” coupler out from the larger line, which creates a larger hole that can’t be easily plugged.
Check your irrigation controller: You’ll want to keep the soil moist around the newly installed perennials, shrubs and trees for the first week, and that might mean watering every day if it’s above 90 degrees. After the first week, switch to watering every other day. Then on week three, switch to twice a week. Exceptions would be for cacti, which I would soak once when planting and then water once a week for the first month before tapering off to once or twice a month until established. (Perennials / grasses - 8-10 weeks, Shrubs - 1 year, Trees - 1-3 years.)
Check that drip emitters are working properly, especially if a plant looks wilted: Drip emitters often get clogged after a repair is made in the larger ½” or ¾” poly tubing. If you’re using “flag”-shaped emitters and one is not flowing, you’ll want to grasp the body of the emitter while you turn the top “flag” shape counterclockwise 90 degrees to allow the top to separate from the rest. You should do this while the zone is running so that you can see if any emitters aren’t working and so that the water pressure can clear the clog. Once you’ve twisted off the top, you should have a strong flowing stream of water coming out. Hold your finger over the water stream, forcing it into the drip outlet, which clears the clog.
If you’re using “button”-shaped emitters and one is clogged, you’ll need to cut it off and replace it. Don’t try to pull it off the ¼” tubing, just cut it off and plug in a new one so that the barbed insert has fresh (not stretched out) tubing to fit into.
Keep up with plant growth: As your desert-friendly plants grow larger, you can move the emitters farther away from the base of the plant and add new ones if needed; larger plants require more water. There are several ways to do this. You can poke a new hole in the nearby larger poly tubing, insert a ¼” coupler, run an additional ¼” line to the plant and add an emitter. However, if the main poly line is more than a couple of feet away, install a ¼” “T” in the spaghetti tubing and go from there. It saves time and means fewer holes in the main poly line. Remember, when installing ¼” couplers into the main poly, always poke the hole in the side, not the top; that way if you step on them by accident, they won’t break off. Also, if your plants are on a slope, the emitter should be on the uphill side, so water flowing downhill will cover more of the root zone. Check that water wells are still in place and holding water around the plant.
Inspect your trees: Check the leaves for any insect damage and the underside of leaves for insect infestations. Also make sure the mulch or gravel isn’t covering up any of the tree trunk above the root flare, which traps moisture that can cause decay or rot. Particularly in fruit trees, this can also allow detrimental insects access to the trunk where they could bore into it.
Check the soil around the base of your plants: Often during initial watering, the soil will settle into the planting hole and can expose the root ball, which causes it to dry out quickly. If you observe or suspect this, kneel in front of the plants, move the mulch out of the way and scrape the surrounding soil back around the plant to cover up the root ball. Then replace the mulch and reposition the drip emitter as necessary.
Learn the common or scientific names of your plants: If you don’t have a list, plant tags or a detailed landscape plan, some newer smart phones have a plant identifier built into the camera app (no need to remember the app store password and download another app). The closer you can get to the plant — showing leaves, branch shapes and flowers (if any) — the better the app will work. The phone (as we all know) can be wrong, but it will give you a place to start. Alternatively, send an email with photos to askanexpert@abcwua.org and we can help you identify
Once you know the plant names you can look them up in our xeriscape guide to reacquaint yourself with their water needs and mature sizes. Need help remembering the plant names? Often the plants themselves can tell you. Is it a catmint? Rub the leaves and smell the minty aroma. Turpentine bush? Lemony pine smell, for sure. Maybe it’s the shape of the leaves. Fernbush? Examine the leaves closely and see how they resemble an actual fern from a rainier climate.
Grass lawns in the greater Albuquerque area need supplemental irrigation to survive our high desert climate. Most residential landscapes are watered by pop-up spray heads that include a sprinkler nozzle set into a spray sprinkler body.
We recommend switching out your older sprinkler nozzles and spray sprinkler bodies for more water efficient ones. Take a look below. They are easy to install; check out the pictures to see how simple it is.
These devices provide pressure regulation at each individual spray head. The sprinkler body is the exterior shell that connects to the irrigation system piping and houses the spray nozzle that applies water to your landscape. WaterSense-labeled spray sprinkler bodies with internal pressure regulation can reduce water waste by providing a consistent flow at the sprinkler nozzle. When the sprinkler body maintains pressure near its optimal operating pressure, the connected nozzle is better able to generate the right amount of water spray and coverage for more uniform distribution of water across the landscape.
Installation is simple. First remove the old spray body by twisting it off and then twist on the new spray body.
High Efficiency Rotating Sprinkler Nozzles (multi-stream)
We also encourage you to change your existing spray heads to high efficiency sprinkler nozzles. These nozzles minimize water waste with unique, multi-trajectory rotating streams that deliver water at a steady rate. This slower application rate allows water to gently soak in at rates that soils can absorb. Use these nozzles to replace the sprinkler head on any conventional spray head body or pop-up sprinkler for water savings of up to 30%.
High efficiency sprinkler nozzles are a great solution for upgrading an old and poorly performing sprinkler system. These nozzles create a heavier droplet that is less affected by wind and reduce misting. These nozzles work especially well with pressure regulating bodies. These heads require longer run times. Don't worry it does not use more water, because rotary nozzles deliver water at a slower rate than typical spray nozzles. Therein lies the efficiency: water saturates deep into the root zone rather than running off and evaporating. This can also help reduce the frequency of runs, thereby saving water.
To make the upgrade, carefully pull the riser out of the sprinkler body, it's spring loaded so keep a hold of it while you unscrew the old nozzle and replace it. After you replace the nozzle you may need to turn the system back on and rotate the body slightly to adjust the spray direction. Pull up the existing nozzles in your sprinklers. While holding them, remove the cap from the sprinkler and install the appropriate spray nozzle, as indicated on the plan. If you are using Hunter brand nozzles be sure to also buy this little orange tool to adjust the spray arc. Rainbird nozzles can be adjusted by turning the ridged rings with your fingers.
