West University Place Parks Department officials are seeing the effects of water conservation efforts in the city after installing a new rain-detecting irrigation system in February.

“Sustainability is a goal for the city and our department,” said Susan White, director of parks and recreation. “We strive to be an example for our residents and other parks and recreation agencies.”

The impact

From January-July 2024, the city used 5.9 million gallons of water. After installing the smart controllers, the city used 3.9 million gallons of water from August 2024-February 2025, according to the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. The organization’s water conservation program awarded the city at least $59,000 in grant funding last June for the project.

“The new smart irrigation system has features that can detect rainfall and will adjust the watering schedule accordingly,” said Communications Manager Bianca Cuccerre.

All future city irrigation systems within the Parks and Recreation Department will be required to incorporate the smart irrigation equipment used in the project, according to the HGSD.

The project

West University’s Parks Department replaced the 19 irrigation systems with water-saving technology backed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s smart systems. The systems were installed in street medians, green spaces, all eight city parks and the Edloe Street pathway, according to Cuccerre and HGSD.

Going forward

Sustainability and water conservation programs are also being considered by the city’s recycling and solid waste reduction board.

“This new responsibility will have them exploring strategies to reduce water usage and promote sustainable practices among residents,” the HGSD statement reads.