The voices of smart irrigation: Stories from the pros at the forefront of water efficiency

Saul Medrano of AvidWater brings hands-on experience and a passion for precision to the forefront of smart irrigation.

BY ANNE BLANKENBILLER

July 2, 2026

July is the irrigation industry’s moment to shine. As the Irrigation Association’s Smart Irrigation Month kicks off, Irrigation & Lighting is proud to spotlight the people driving one of the most important conversations in water management today. Throughout July, we’re introducing you to smart irrigation champions from across the industry to hear their stories, their insights and their vision for a more water-efficient future. Smart irrigation isn’t just about technology; it’s about the professionals who put that technology to work every day, protecting our water supply, sustaining our landscapes and crops, and building a better world one system at a time. Join us all month long as we celebrate the faces behind smart irrigation.

Saul Medrano of AvidWater LLC has been working in the industry for seven years. In his position as regional sales manager, he oversees sales on the Central Coast (Santa Cruz County to Ventura County) and recently the Baja Region in Mexico.

What first pulled you into irrigation—and what’s kept you in it? 

Irrigation courses in the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering (BRAE) program at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo are what got me into irrigation. I began working for AvidWater (then Irrigation Design and Construction) as an Automation Technician right after I graduated. That is what kept me in irrigation.

How do you work to be a champion of promoting smart irrigation? 

My career in irrigation has primarily consisted of precision irrigation projects and automation systems. My goal for each of these projects is to provide the grower with a system that they understand and can use as a tool for maximizing their efficiency in beneficial water usage.  

With drought affecting many areas of the country this summer, what role can smart irrigation play in helping communities reach their water saving goals? 

Smart irrigation products and systems can give you data driven insight on what is happening in your field and could give you the control ability to help you reach your water (and energy) savings goals. 

If you could snap your fingers and fix one barrier to smarter irrigation adoption, what would it be?

Grower confidence in ROI. 