COMPANY PROFILE

A passion for conservation

It was less than ten years ago that Chris Le Conte, a former sales manager for an irrigation distributor recognized a gap between property owners who needed water-saving solutions and irrigation contractors who often didn’t prioritize efficiency. It was Chris’ job to convince these irrigation contractors of the latest and greatest water saving products; but he soon learned that many were reluctant to embrace new technology.

“About two years ago, I just started to get really upset that people weren’t trying to be as efficient as possible …we’re using treated drinking water on our lawns – and in many cases it’s spraying onto sidewalks and parking lots. The least we can do is irrigate efficiently. Basically, I became passionate about saving water.”

- Chris Le Conte, SMART Watering Systems

Today, Chris LeConte is the owner and president of SMART Watering Systems (SWS), which helps property owners significantly reduce their outdoor potable water use. The SWS business model is not to replace irrigation contractors but to recommend product and systems based on audits and inspections. The goal is to develop a contractor-client- consultant relationship that allows for both cost-savings and efficient irrigation.

Property owners will soon be pushed into conserving water as water rates continue to rise.

Looking to the future, the next big issue is landscape irrigation. Although water management is not a new business model in Arizona, California and other regions with water scarcity issues, in Ontario and many parts of the U.S. where population growth and deteriorating infrastructure may play a larger role than scarcity; municipalities are raising waters rates 5 to 11 percent a year.

At some point, property owners will be seeking relief as the cost of water may double in as few as 6 years. As SWS assists individuals, businesses and municipalities in improving their irrigation methods and reducing their environmental impact, the momentum of water conservation shows no signs of slowing.

Proven benefits

Through demonstration and documentation, SWS has helped irrigation users reduce their potable water use by over 300 million litres (over 4 years).

The success of SWS has resulted in consumer behavior modifications (paying closer attention to their water and willing to spend money on upgrades) as well as behavior changes of existing landscape and irrigation contracting companies within the industry (many are now adopting new technologies and approaches).