18 Years of Commercial Irrigation

You can’t put a band aid on a bullet wound and sometimes duct tape just doesn’t cut it.  Irrigation is like that too. 

Irrigation and reticulation can be costly and a continual issue when it is not properly managed. This doesn’t always have to be the case, as we have found over the last 18 years. 

A primary goal with commercial irrigation is prolonging the useful life of a system by doing things right the first time. This is part of each step – design, installation and maintenance.

Old is Good

We found this old picture of us installing subsurface drip irrigation in the early 2000’s at the Department of Agriculture. Using a specially designed subsurface drip laying machine we replaced sprinklers with drippers.

Subsurface drip is exceptionally water wise with close to zero evaporation. With the addition of a fertigation unit, liquid fertilizer can be added and delivered directly to root systems.

Now in 2020, subsurface drip is installed the same way and is still more efficient. We know drip lines do not clog with sand the same way sprinkler nozzles do, they are protected against damage from cars driving over them and people kicking them over.

It takes time to recognize these small differences that have long term effects on price and reliability of an irrigation system. 

Technology In Irrigation

Over the years we have seen so much change in technology in our industry. From new drip lines to wifi enabled water controllers, each time a new technology is available it increase our capacity to manage water better.

We use Netafim’s ASXR drip line in nearly every design because it has a number embedded water technologies:

• Root intrusion prevented by an iron oxide lining stops roots from clogging drip lines.
• Anti-suck pressure diaphragm maintains water pressure through the lines so soil cannot enter through the drippers and block them

Maximising efficiency is now easier with Wifi enabled smart controllers such as those from Hunter Industries.

• Predictive watering adjustments means watering times automatically change according to local weather conditions. For example if it is already raining, then the watering will be reduced or stopped.
•  Real-time remote monitoring via Wifi means greater control over irrigation systems that are not immediately accessible.