Starting next year, sprinklers sold in California will need to include a piece that limits water flow, getting as close as possible to the manufacturer recommended level of 30 pounds per inch.
This new regulation will also raise the price of new sprinklers by a few dollars.
Albert Hummell, President of Rainscape in San Luis Obispo, said he was not aware of the new regulation but it's something he had already been doing for years.
"So it is an excellent way to stop atomization which is when you see all that water that is overpressurized and it's blowing all over the place. It balances the system out where you get water, where you want the water to go," said Hummell. "And so I mean, it is a great thing for them to do but I know that in our industry we've been embracing, at least my company, for close to 20 years."
Mychal Boerman, Deputy Director of the Water Department for San Luis Obispo, said devices already in the ground would not have to be taken out.
Sprinklers, on average, get replaced every five to ten years, which means old models will get replaced with newer ones eventually, something Boreman said will have an impact on water usage.
"Pretty substantial in California where a good portion of our water use happens outside of the home. The new sprinkler heads are estimated to save about 20 percent on your outdoor irrigation on average - a pretty good measure," said Boreman,
California joins Hawaii, Washington, Colorado and Vermont in this initiative to conserve water.
Boreman adds he is happy to see the state taking a proactive approach on the production side of things concerning water conservation.
