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2003-12-08

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY AND ORBIT IRRIGATION PRODUCTS, INC.

TEAM UP TO SAVE WATER

USU Extension Office Receives Donation of Sprinkler Equipment

Logan, Utah - December 8, 2003 – Utah State University's Extension Office and Utah-based Orbit Irrigation Products, Inc. have formed a partnership to help reduce the amount of water needed on new turf. Utah State"s Center for Water Efficient Landscaping (CWEL) received a $12,000 gift from Orbit Irrigation Products, Inc. to help more precisely understand water use of turf grasses.

"Orbit’s contribution of underground sprinkler equipment was important because it allows us to precisely irrigate a five acre turf grass plot at our campus in Logan,” said Roger Kjelgren, director of CWEL. “With the underground sprinkler equipment from Orbit and special measurement tools - we will be able to measure exactly how much water we are using and to make sure we don’t overwater.”

 “Our company slogan, "Conservation through Innovation," signifies Orbit’s commitment to developing innovative products that manage water,” said Orbit CEO, K.C. Ericksen. “Our partnership with Utah State was derived from our desire to bring attention to the need for water conservation.” 

“The special measurement tools we are using are generally used to study forests and other large ecosystems,” said Kjelgren. “In this case we will be measuring turf, specifically Kentucky Bluegrass, which is a popular variety in Utah. We hope to determine the seasonal variation in water use and water need for Kentucky Bluegrass – and pass on those findings to consumers.”

 To find out more about Utah State University Extension programs, go to www.extension.usu.edu.

About Orbit

Orbit Irrigation Products is the market-share leader in the retail do-it-yourself irrigation business. Orbit manufactures and distributes more than 1,500 quality lawn and garden irrigation products to customers worldwide under the sub-brand names Orbit Professional®, WaterMaster®, DripMaster®, SunMate®, and Arizona Mist®. Orbit products can be purchased both domestically and internationally at most contractor supply houses, home improvement stores, and lawn and garden centers. For more information, go to www.orbitonline.com or call 1-800-488-6156.