Startup Idea: Automated Sprinkler System Adjusting to Weather Conditions

Startup idea to develop a software program that can sense rainfall and automates the shutting off of sprinklers. The system could also be connected to the internet to regulate water usage based on current water supply conditions, preventing wastage and saving costs.

I live in Texas and we don't get a lot of rain. People (businesses usually) have their sprinklers set to automatically come on at certain times. This is not the problem. The problem is that when it starts raining, they need to go off, but they don't. In order for them to shut off, someone has to go in and physically turn them off. This is a big problem in the middle of the night when no one is there to turn them off. There needs to be a program that will sense when it is raining and shut the sprinklers off automatically. Maybe even have it hooked into the internet so that if there is a water shortage, then it will limit the amount of water that is put out or even have it come on and off at intervals to allow the water to soak into the ground so that it doesn't become runoff and therefore waste water. This would not only save the businesses money, but it would save water in a place that doesn't have a lot to begin with.