Weather-sensitive Sprinklers for City

Petaluma is buying 93 sprinkler-control devices for use in parks and by some city residents.

Manufactured by Petaluma company HydroPoint Data Systems, the “WeatherTRAK” smart irrigation controllers automatically determine a watering schedule based on plant type, soil type and the weather.

They use up to 30 percent less water than traditional controllers, the city said. The 93 devices purchased by the city will save 5 million gallons of water per year.

Twenty of the devices will be used in city parks and the rest will be made available to Petaluma residents with high water use for landscaping, the city said.

The $111,647 cost of the purchase will be paid for with a state grant.