July is Smart Irrigation Month!

Teaching an Old Irrigation System Some New Tricks

Update your irrigation system for greater efficiency.

Saving water is in every homeowner's best interest. You save money and help conserve the local water supply at the same time. Just because you have an old irrigation system installed in your yard doesn't mean that you can't update it to take advantage of the newest, most efficient technology. In most cases the operating savings you will achieve will outway the initial capital cost of these upgrades, especially with increasing water rates. Your certified irrigation contractor can tell you what components are best suited to your system and offer the greatest benefit.

Here is a quick look at a few of the options:

• Add "smart" technology. Smart technology basically refers to irrigation devices that can adjust your watering schedule without direct input from you. Climate-based controllers that adjust watering schedules based on weather conditions and plant information can have a profound impact on your water usage.
• Have a rain sensor installed...low-cost, excellent value! This device can be added to almost any system and will automatically override the system settings to prevent watering when it rains. They are inexpensive, simple to install, and they save water and money.
• Add a pressure regulator. Incorrect water pressure can cause conditions such as "misting." Misting occurs when water is turned to vapor rather than droplets at the sprinkler from too much water pressure. Most of the misted water just gets blown away. Contact a certified irrigation professional to see about installing pressure regulators or pressure regulated sprinkler heads.
• Install micro-irrigation. Some of your old sprinklers may be replaceable with micro or drip irrigation components. Your irrigation professional can tell you if micro irrigation is suitable for any of your existing irrigation zones. The water savings from switching may be substantial. Micro irrigation works well in gardens and around trees and shrubs and minimizes evaporative water loss and runoff.

Other relatively inexpensive upgrades include installing check valves on the sprinkler lines and adding matched precipitation rate nozzles. Check valves installed on slopes prevent water from draining downhill and flooding around the lower sprinklers. Installing matched precipitation rate nozzles can save water by ensuring uniform water application in every zone. These nozzles are engineered to deliver water at the same rate, no matter what the pattern. So a zone that has full-circle patterns mixed with partial-circle patterns will be watered evenly, reducing wasteful overwatering.

So contact a certified irrigation professional and ask him about these new efficient technologies and what would work best for you.