Smart Irrigation Controls & Irrigation Assessments

This incentive program was designed to help you use only the water you need to achieve the desired results on your property.

This year, a new Irrigation System Assessments Incentive is being offered as a pre-requisite to the Smart Irrigation Controls Incentive. Water is a precious resource, and water use data indicates that water conservation efforts may be most effective during the summer irrigation season when water use increases dramatically for landscaping. We encourage the smart use of water that incorporates local weather data to ensure only the necessary amount of water is being used. This program is open until funds are exhausted, and is for Mountain Village, Ski Ranches and West Meadows residents only. Businesses within Mountain Village are also eligible to apply.

Technology is helping us reduce waste in efficient ways while conserving resources. In this case, the technology is WaterSense®, certified smart irrigation control products that meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s specifications for water efficiency and performance.

Replace your outdated irrigation control system with a WaterSense® product that includes weather-sensing capabilities through free Rachio controllers from the Town, or with a rebate of up to $500. For more information, please contact at (970) 369-8217.

What are Irrigation System Assessments?

Irrigation system assessments are the initial step in ensuring that your irrigation system is running optimally and in identifying any inefficiencies in the system. Results from irrigation assessments help property owners, landscaping companies and irrigation companies identify opportunities for improved water use efficiency and irrigation system performance. An irrigation assessment involves field observations as well as pressure and water measurements.

In 2022, the Town of Mountain Village was awarded a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board to expand our existing water conservation practices to include free irrigation systems assessments. As part of this grant, homeowners and businesses within Mountain Village can request an irrigation system assessment from their landscaping or irrigation companies and qualify for a rebate up to $300 for this assessment. Your irrigation system assessor will need to complete and submit the Irrigation Systems Assessment sheet to Mountain Village. Homeowners will also need to complete a brief survey about the process. Once these are completed, submit the Irrigation Assessments Rebate Application.

For more information, please contact at (970) 369-8217.

Smart Irrigation Controllers

Technology is helping us efficiently reduce waste while conserving resources. In this case, the technology is WaterSense®, certified smart irrigation control products that meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s specifications for water efficiency and performance. Replace your outdated irrigation control system with a WaterSense® product which includes weather-sensing capabilities. The Town is offering 8-zone and 16-zone Rachio controllers for installation within Mountain Village. If you choose to purchase your own smart irrigation controller, we will rebate for the cost of the controller, up to $500. For more information, please contact at (970) 369-8217.

How They Work

Smart irrigation controllers use real-time local weather data, including humidity, air temperature, wind speed, soil moisture, solar radiation and rainfall to calculate evapotranspiration rates and automatically adjust irrigation watering accordingly. Technology for such controls is advancing rapidly. There are currently several irrigation controls that carry the EPA WaterSense® label and incorporate local weather data to determine the amount of water needed for different irrigation zones.

Most smart irrigation controllers either connect to the Internet to gather weather data from a nearby weather station or collect real-time weather data from an onsite station on your property. Some of these controllers can be monitored over the Internet and the settings controlled remotely, while others can be linked to other “smart” devices in your home. With a smart irrigation controller, your plants and lawn get the water they need, without being over or under watered.

Install a Smart Irrigation Controller

Please note: In order to qualify for the smart irrigation controller rebate, homeowners must first participate in an irrigation assessment and submit the irrigation assessment survey.

Once the irrigation assessment is complete, homeowners can pick up a free Rachio controller from the Town or individually purchase a WaterSense labeled smart irrigation controller. The Town has 8-zone and 16-zone Rachio controllers available. Please note that the homeowner must pick up the controller; controllers will not be distributed to irrigation and landscaping companies. We encourage you to consult with your landscape or irrigation professional to select a WaterSense labeled smart irrigation controller that best suits your irrigation needs.

If you install a free, Town-provided Rachio controller:

Pick up a Rachio controller from Town Hall and install it on your Mountain Village property. Please note, this incentive program does not cover the cost of installation.
Send photos of the installed Rachio controller to or call Public Works to set up a site visit. If photos are sent, the serial number must be visible and must match that of the controller provided by Mountain Village.
Once the installation is verified, nothing more is needed.

If you purchase and install a WaterSense labeled irrigation controller:

Select and purchase a WaterSense® labeled irrigation controller and install it on your Mountain Village property. Please note, this incentive program does not cover the cost of installation.
Submit the Smart Irrigation Controls Incentive Program application so we may issue you a check for the full amount of the controller, up to $500, and realize a savings year after year.