Verify a soil-moisture-based irrigation controller meets the EPA WaterSense Specification for Soil Moisture-Based Irrigation Controllers before recommending it for a WaterSense-labeled installation.
domain: epa.gov/watersense · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
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Steps
Pull the current EPA WaterSense Specification for Soil Moisture-Based Irrigation Controllers PDF from epa.gov/watersense, distinct from the separate Weather-Based Irrigation Controllers specification.
Confirm the product has been certified by an EPA-recognized certifying body (e.g., IAPMO R&T, which EPA has approved to issue WaterSense certification for this product category) rather than relying on manufacturer marketing claims alone.
Check the WaterSense Labeled Controllers product list/search tool to confirm the specific model and firmware/version is currently listed, since certifications can be issued per model.
Verify the sensor and controller are installed together per manufacturer instructions, since WaterSense labeling applies to the tested system configuration, not just the controller in isolation.
If the project needs rebate eligibility (e.g., a utility rebate program), confirm the rebate program accepts WaterSense soil-moisture-based certification specifically, since some programs list weather-based and soil-moisture-based controllers under different rebate rules.
Known gotchas
Soil-moisture-based and weather-based controllers are governed by two separate EPA WaterSense specification documents — checking the wrong spec sheet can misqualify a product.
EPA WaterSense does not test/certify products itself; it approves third-party certifying bodies (e.g., IAPMO R&T) to do so — confirm the certifying body is currently EPA-recognized.
Utility rebate programs often cannot be combined (e.g., a soil-moisture sensor system rebate and a weather-based controller rebate on the same site) — read the specific program's stacking rules before assuming both apply.
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