Most popular:Next Water Conservation Expo coming in March 2014
The next SRP Water Conservation Expo is tentatively scheduled for March 2014.
More than 700 people attended the sixth annual SRP Water Conservation Expo, held on March 2, 2013. The expo is held at PERA Club, 1 E. Continental Drive, Tempe.
The smart irrigation controller instant rebate has expired. Details about discount offers and classes for the next expo will be posted to this page when they become available in early 2014.
Highlights from the most recent expo included classes about smart irrigation controller programming and xeriscape (low-water-use landscaping) and booths featuring a variety of water-saving ideas and devices. Details are below.
SRP employees welcome attendees to the 2013 expo at PERA Club.
Who wouldn't smile after picking up a $290 smart irrigation controller for $50 after rebate?
See-through toilet tanks help educate customers about water efficiency in the bathroom. They are not for sale at the expo.
Faucets, toilets and sprinklers, oh my! Leaks are everywhere. Fixing them can lead to big savings.
An SRP employee demonstrates GateKeeper, a technology SRP uses to minimize water waste in canals and laterals.
Only at the expo can you meet a duck carrying a plunger and a pipe wrench.
Mesa's Donna DiFrancesco teaches xeriscape principles during one of the expo's free classes.
White amur fish keep SRP canals free of algae and other flow-impeding plants.
There are many interesting exhibits on display at the expo.
Dewey stands as a brave mascot of hope and encouragement for water conservation warriors everywhere.
Smart irrigation
SRP's annual expo traditionally features a sharp discount on smart irrigation controllers, such as the Rain Bird ESP-SMT.
These controllers promote water efficiency by using historical weather data, along with on-site rainfall and temperature information, to determine daily watering run times. Soil condition, plant type, shade factor and slope are also considered.
Setup is simple, and Rain Bird provides an in-depth online tutorial about how to program the device. You can also read answers to FAQs.
Xeriscape education
Xeriscape refers to seven principles that help ensure landscapes are water efficient. Implementing these principles can create beautiful and healthy landscapes while saving water.
In 2013, instructor Donna DiFrancesco, a water conservation specialist with the City of Mesa, taught attendees about xeriscape, low-water-use plants, water conservation and sustainability.
SRP's landscaping tool offers ideas about how to create beautiful low-water-use outdoor environments.
Exhibits
Expo exhibits typically provide information about water supplies, energy efficiency, water safety and water conservation. Previous exhibits have included:
- An SRP zanjeros display of debris removed from the canal system during the annual canal dry-ups
- Quagga mussel and white amur displays
- Displays from municipalities across the Valley, Central Arizona Project, Water Use It Wisely and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension