Confirm a smart irrigation controller's performance claims against the Irrigation Association's SWAT testing protocol before specifying or recommending the product.

Steps

1. Identify the controller type (weather-based vs. soil-moisture-sensor-based), since SWAT maintains separate testing protocols and protocol version numbers for each category.
2. Locate the current adopted protocol document for that controller category on the IA's SWAT pages (protocols are periodically revised through public-comment cycles).
3. Confirm the specific product/model was tested under that protocol by a recognized third-party lab, rather than relying on manufacturer self-reported performance claims.
4. Cross-check whether the tested product also carries the EPA WaterSense label, since WaterSense validated (and required modifications to) the SWAT protocol via University of Florida research before adopting it as a basis for its own controller specification.
5. Note that SWAT protocols are technical testing methodologies, not enforceable codes — treat SWAT-protocol conformance as a performance data point, not a legal requirement, unless a rebate program or spec explicitly mandates it.