Toro Working to Save Water

Toro, the irrigation technology company whose products are used on playgrounds, golf courses and athletic fields worldwide is participating in a national effort to conserve water.

The Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation is sponsored by the Wyland Foundation and Toyota with an assist from Toro, whose irrigation division is based in Riverside, according to a statement.

The program, now in its fifth year, began Friday and runs through April 30. Mayors throughout the United States are asked to encourage their constituents to conserve water.

Last year, mayors from 36 states received more than 390,000 pledges to save water, protect watersheds and reduce the stress on aging water infrastructure.

Pledges for this year’s competition can be made at www.mywaterpledge.com. Cities with the highest percentage of residents that make pledges may be eligible for more than $50,000 worth of prizes.

By committing to saving water, residents are eligible to win several prizes, including a Toyota Prius, as well as water-efficient home irrigation products, and other eco-friendly products made by Toro, the statement read.

Toro makes sprinklers and other irrigation devices at its Riverside facility. This is Toro’s third year in Wyland’s water conservation program, said Burnett Jones, senior marketing manager for the company’s irrigation division.

“It’s been a great partnership because we’re both focused on a common goal, preserving water,” Jones said. “There’s still a good percentage of people who aren’t conserving, so you need get the message out.”

The Wyland Foundation was founded in 1993 by environmental artist Wyland, formerly known as Robert Wyland. He is best known for his paintings, murals and other works depicting ocean settings and ocean life.

The non-profit organization in Irvine teaches millions of U.S. students about oceans, rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands, according to the statement.