Mike Barth, Frisco's Licensed Irrigation Specialist, performs one of his free irrigation audits. Photo: friscogreenliving.com

By Bill Sullivan

When North Texas temperatures start to climb and rain becomes little more than a rumor, the phone starts ringing. Folks all over Frisco begin focusing on their yards and the sprinkler systems that keep them healthy during the hot, dry summer months, a convergence of events that makes Mike Barth a busy and popular man.

Having your controller set properly is a key to an efficient system. Photo: friscogreenliving.com

Each year, Frisco homeowners are entitled to one free irrigation audit, and Mike is the man who appears at their door. Since going to work for the city in 2001, the Licensed Irrigation Specialist estimates that he has made more than 3,800 house calls to help residents be sure they are getting the most value from their systems, helping preserve both cash and one of the city’s most precious resources.

“Most of the people who call me are really trying to conserve water and want to know how to do it,” he says between stops on a typically full Wednesday in June.  “They want to know, ‘What can I do to do better?’ I really enjoy those.”

Once the summer months hit, Mike and his easy-to-spot truck (the one with the familiar “Frisco Water Wise” logo, a cartoon caricature of Professor Water Wise, and an invitation to call 972-292-5800 for your Free Irrigation Audit) can be seen zipping all over town, enabling savvy residents to combine fiscal and environmental responsibility.

“I can usually manage up to eight (audits) a day,” he says. “Right now, I’m booked about two weeks out.”

Residents taking advantage of their free irrigation audit get a full checkup. Photo: friscogreenliving.com

These visits are more than just a courtesy call. Mike schedules about an hour for each audit. He starts by checking the control panel. Then, he sets each station for a two-minute run.

Once the system is operating, he makes sure each sprinkler head pops up properly. If the flow is weak, he’ll try to identify the problem.

“If there’s a substantial leak, you won’t have enough pressure,” he explains.

He’ll flag any heads that don’t respond properly, are out of position, or are in any way damaged. He’ll make suggestions if he believes the system is delivering too much water, or if adjustments should be made for different kinds of ground cover (grass, mulch, clay, etc.) at a given station.

If your system is doing a better job of watering the street than the grass, he might advise switching to a different kind of nozzle to better cover the space involved. He’ll also walk the homeowner through how the system works and how to make changes in the programming.

With more and more residents turning to evapotranspiration (ET) controllers, yet another layer is added to the process.

In Frisco, the more sophisticated ET devices link with the city-operated weather station to factor natural rainfall into a given yard’s needs. By including real rainfall in the mix, the system automatically cuts back on the amount of city water used to keep the yard fresh.

“That’s a big water-saver, credit for rainfall,” Mike says.

(If you are interested, visit the city’s Web site for information on the nine controllers on its “approved” list. According to Mike, ET controllers range from about $150 to $1,200, depending on how many features the homeowner wishes to add.)

To make sure your system is working properly, Mike suggests you walk through it at least once every two weeks. Photo: friscogreenliving.com

While Mike can help get you pointed in the right direction, making sure all is in working order is an ongoing process.

“You need to walk your system once every two weeks and make sure nothing’s broken,” he says. “Somebody mowing could break a head. You end up with a geyser out there.”

In recent years, Mike says, he has noticed a distinct change in the public’s attitude toward water usage. While no one enjoys big bills, the emphasis has shifted noticeably to conserving a valuable and limited resource.

“People who call me are genuinely interested,” he said. “They’re the green types.”

Mike Barth is just a phone call away, ready to help them be just a little greener. Call 972-292-5800 to schedule your free irrigation audit.

During the hot summer months, Mike's truck is a familiar sight on Frisco streets. Photo: friscogreenliving.com