1. How does the Smart Yard program work?
Smart Yard improves landscape water use efficiency to save homeowners money and meet our community's conservation objectives. Here's how it works:

First, your water usage and potential savings are analyzed. A Smart Yard consultant visits your home to determine which model smart controller, and how many smart controllers, are needed. During this visit, your landscape and irrigation system are assessed. If your system is in good working order, you are eligible to participate in the program. The entire program cost, including landscape and irrigation system assessment, hardware, installation, follow-up visit as well as automatic daily weather-based schedule adjustments and customer service, is financed on your water bill with a fixed monthly fee. The fee is determined by the model and quantity of smart controllers installed. The monthly fee continues for 5 years. At the end of the 5-year period (60 months), you own the smart controller. There are zero up-front fees or additional required fees.

2. How much will I save?
You can expect to save whatever water is currently being wasted on your landscape. The smart controller eliminates waste by applying only the water your plants need as the local weather changes. Most homeowners save 33% of their outdoor water cost. Water rates are rising across the U.S. The value of your savings will increase over time as water rates rise and a tiered rate structure, which rewards savers and penalizes wasters, is implemented.

3. Why is Western helping me lower my bill?
Western rolled out Smart Yard to provide its customers with a simple and highly effective water use efficiency program that will save one billion gallons of water over 10 years. Western is focusing on landscapes because nearly 70% of our region's water supply is used outside. Most landscapes, even those with low-water-use plants, are overwatered by 30% to 300%, according to water agency studies. By helping homeowners conserve water and reduce their water bills, everyone wins.

4. How is my monthly payment calculated?
Your monthly payment is based on the number of irrigation zones on your landscape:

• 12 stations or less, monthly fee is $9.99
• 18 stations or less, monthly fee is $15.99
• 24 stations or less, monthly fee is $18.99
• 30 stations or less, monthly fee is $33.99
• 36 stations or less, monthly fee is $36.99
• 42 stations or less, monthly fee is $38.99
• 48 stations or less, monthly fee is $41.99

5. How do I know how many irrigation stations I have?
Count the number of wires that extend from your timer to determine how many irrigation stations (also known as valves or zones) are managed by your timer. These wires are often multi-colored, and there is usually at least one white wire that is common to all stations. Exclude this common wire and the electrical cord from your total station count.

6. I have two or more sprinkler timers irrigating my home's landscape. Am I eligible to replace all of these timers?
Yes.

7. I am currently watering in accordance with Level 2 restrictions. If I participate in this program, will I be exempt from these restrictions?
Yes. Smart controllers deliver more water savings than conventional “day-of-week” restrictions. That's why level 2 restrictions are waived for Smart Yard participants. Western will give you a small sign that you may stake in the ground to show passers-by that your yard is a Smart Yard (optional).

8. How do I know if my sprinkler system is working?
The Smart Yard consultant will determine if your sprinkler system is in good working order. Any necessary repairs will be documented.

9. During the landscape and irrigation system assessment, the consultant who visited my house told me I needed to fix some parts of my irrigation system before I would be eligible. Who can I call to fix these things?
Western will provide a list of qualified landscape contractors for you to select from. Selecting a contractor, getting an estimate to make repairs and confirming that these repairs have been made are the responsibility of each homeowner.

10. What if I want to opt out of the program?
If you decide you wish to opt out of the program, you can do so without any penalty or additional fees. Your original controller will be re-installed at no charge and the Smart Yard hardware will be removed and become the property of Western. You may elect to opt out of the program but you will be responsible for any outstanding unpaid balance on your account.

11. Why did Western select the WeatherTRAK smart controller?
The WeatherTRAK smart controller, manufactured by HydroPoint Data Systems, was selected because it is the most proven smart controller on the market. Here are a few highlights:

• Twenty-three public agency studies demonstrate that WeatherTRAK optimizes water savings and plant health
• WeatherTRAK is the only smart controller tested by the EPA for water runoff reduction
• WeatherTRAK weather data is so reliable that Western and other water agencies use it to determine water budget allocations
• WeatherTRAK smart controllers are the choice of more than 24,000 subscribers including 50 water providers and numerous Fortune 500 companies because of their superior performance

12. How does the WeatherTRAK smart controller work?
The WeatherTRAK smart controller eliminates landscape overwatering by providing plants with precisely the water they need, when they need it. The Smart Yard consultant programs your smart controller to independently water each landscape zone based on 19 characteristics including plant variety, soil type, sprinkler model and slope angle. Each landscape zone's irrigation schedule is adjusted automatically based on daily weather updates the controller receives wirelessly from the WeatherTRAK ET Everywhere™ service.

13. Can I get help using the controller?
Yes. The Smart Yard consultant will review the smart controller with you at the time of installation. A second opportunity for in-person training is the consultant's follow-up inspection to be scheduled by you and the consultant. On an ongoing basis, HydroPoint, provider of the WeatherTRAK smart controller, offers toll-free customer service, Monday through Saturday, in both English and Spanish. HydroPoint also offers free Internet-based training in both English and Spanish. Both you and your gardener are welcome to use these services.

14. Can I install the smart water controller myself?
No. You'll be glad that Western's team has hired a highly experienced and licensed consultant that is thoroughly trained to install and program the smart controllers to deliver maximum water bill savings and plant health.

15. Western is going to place a fixed fee on my bill for 5 years. Do I own the controller after that?
Yes. The industry-leading WeatherTRAK smart controller will belong to you.