Hi - we’re currently allowed to water 3 days a week. Is there a way to configure a schedule that takes precipitation in the future forecast into account to choose which 3 days to water? And is there a flex setting that allows you to limit the number of days that you can water to 3? I haven’t found it yet if there is…
I realize that this may be a risky approach if the precipitation never comes, but I’m curious.
Interesting feature request, but I don’t think Flex can accommodate in its current form. Best you can do is pick 3 days to water (ex. Mon, Weds, Sat) and Flex will only water on those days if the zone requires it.
@Nelso2sd this is super interesting. Out of curiosity, how does your water utility monitor this? You can water any three days? That sounds difficult to track!
McKynzee 
Yep, any 3 days a week, but not more: https://www.auroragov.org/residents/water/watering_times
I don’t think they have any enforceable way to monitor this other than the honor system - or relying on begrudged neighbors to report offenders 
I’d just like to make the best use of the water that I am paying for if there is precipitation in the forecast. Using the % chance of precipitation, based on where it is projected to fall during the week, pick the best 3 days to pay for watering
I feel like you may be able to try flex out, and maybe see how it behaves? I don’t want to get you in trouble with neighbors (
), but if you are looking to water “smart”, it truly is the best option. I’m wondering if you would necessarily see watering much more than three days a week. That being said, there wouldn’t be a guarantee.
Are the majority of your zones fairly similar in configuration? That would further ensure that they run on similar schedules, and potentially wouldn’t water more than those three days a week.
I could be wrong, but CO is a pretty moderate climate so I can’t imagine why you’d need to water more than three times a week. If anything, it would be less. I’d set flex to water every day (so it picks the best days to water like you’re requesting) and monitor the frequency. Some weeks it might go 4 days a week, some rainy weeks it won’t water at all. Bet it averages out to less than 3x a week once your season is done.
How did I miss you are from Aurora! We are based in Denver 
I’m team @johnny2678- I would assume you wouldn’t run into issues especially with all the rain we are getting right now. Maybe once we hit those hotter summer weeks, you could potentially run into issues.
I’ll give it a shot and see how it does.
I know this is an old thread, but I have the same issue. I live in the Springs (Colorado Springs, CO) and we also have a three days per week restriction. I am currently set to Flex Daily schedule for all days except Tuesday (lawn mowing day).
Usually, but not always, the sprinkler runs three days or less each week. Sometimes it runs more often, which technically puts me in violation. It would be nice if I could be assured that I would not violate watering restrictions.
Is this feature on the roadmap?
Thanks,
Marty
Part of the problem is that Flex Daily will not necessarily water all zones on the same day. It might start out that way, but variations in zones, etc. will end up with zones being watered on different days. And unless sufficient rain is received to “synchronize” the zones again, and while any given zone will almost certainly not water more than 3 days a week, chances are VERY good that you will be watering more than 3 days, and depending number of zones, conceivably as much as every available day.
The above accepted “solution” is probably the best answer, unfortunately. I think a schedule designed to always water on specific days will have to vary the minutes of water applied for each zone, which is a completely different kind of schedule. But one worth considering.
Thanks for the reply and suggestion. I’m OK as it is, but would feel more comfortable knowing I was in compliance with restrictions. I love the product and am frankly stunned that this is not a feature, which is why I was asking if it is on the roadmap. I can appreciate the algorithmic complexity of optimizing a schedule for X or fewer days per week.
Since this feature seems to be scarce, and different communities are pushing watering restrictions, I am a bit surprised not only that this feature is missing, but there is not a “subscribe to local water restrictions” checkbox in the configuration. I would imagine that this feature would be an opportunity for local water companies to promote the product for Rachio.
The Denver Water Department has restrictions right now on time of day and days per week. If I go to the site, it would be great to see a note saying that if I buy a Rachio, I need not worry about restrictions any more. Water department wins, Rachio wins, and consumer wins.
That is EXACTLY what happens with Charlotte Mecklenburg County water!!! I have to have my Smart Controller inspected every year and certified that I am using it as a smart controller. For that, I get a cheaper irrigation rate, and I do not have to follow any watering restrictions until we get to Stage 4 restrictions.
