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1. What is being offered?

Wi-Fi-based Rachio 3 irrigation controllers are being offered to homeowners for a discounted price of $35. Controllers are purchased online.

2. Who is eligible to participate?

Any residence in Woodbury with a home built prior to 2020 with an installed irrigation system is eligible to participate. Woodbury City Code was updated to require all residences with new irrigation systems to have a smart irrigation controller installed. Participation is limited to one per residence for the life of the program.

3. How many zones is the controller compatible with?

Controllers that can accommodate 8 or 16 zones are offered. Most systems use 8 or fewer. To receive a 16-zone controller, you must indicate 9-16 zones after purchasing your controller.

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1. Why was the Rachio controller selected?

The Rachio is Environment Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense certified and utilizes Wi-Fi to make water decisions instead of secondary components like sensors. Rachio was rated highly by Smart Water Application Technologies (SWAT), a national partnership initiative of water purveyors and irrigation industry representatives to promote landscape efficiency through state-of-the-art technology. Rachio controllers have been used in the last few years of the city's program. Participants continue to report high satisfaction, decreased water use, and ease of being able to work through issues with the Rachio support network.

2. How does the controller work?

The controller connects to your home's Wi-Fi to rely on local weather station data and seasonal variation to decide how much water your grass needs.

Check your Wi-Fi strength at your existing controller before purchasing. Fewer than 10% of participants have needed to install Wi-Fi boosters to provide the signal to their controller.

Controllers are operated with smart phones. If you utilize an irrigation company, you can share access with them through the app (no need to give them your Wi-Fi or login information).

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1. How do I install and program the controller?

There are several videos available on Rachio's YouTube channel, including installation and programming guides.

There is also information specific to the Woodbury program on the Rachio website.

2. What do I do if I’m having an issue with my controller?

Contact Rachio support at 844-472-2446 or visit the Rachio website.

3. Does the controller come with a flow meter?

No. The flow meter can be purchased through Rachio separately. To receive a $20 discount, use the promo code WOODBURYFLOW20.

4. Do I need a rain sensor with the system?

You do not need a rain sensor. If you have one, it can be plugged into the Rachio system for more accurate weather data.

5. With two days per week watering, how can I reprogram my controller to water only only based on my irrigation zone?

The city updated its Lawn & Landscape Watering Policy in 2023 allowing watering up to two days per week based on irrigation zones. Irrigation system controllers should be reprogrammed to water on the new day(s) or use the manual setting to operate the system on the appropriate day for the designated zone. If you purchased a Rachio smart irrigation controller through the city, tips on running your system are available via the Rachio Help Center. We have also created a step-by-step video for residents, available on our YouTube channel.

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1. How do I purchase a controller?

Controllers are purchased online.

2. What should I do if I’m having trouble signing into the system?

Contact the city at 651-714-3593.