IRRIGATION Conservation Consciousness

The funny thing about a “smart” irrigation system is that the less you have to think about it, the smarter it is. But don’t underestimate these wise-guys. While providing us with healthy, beautiful-looking lawns, these systems are brightening the future of the irrigation industry by conserving that invaluable resource we know as water.
 
“Smart irrigation occurs when you can practice water efficiency just by using a certain product or practice,” says Greg Natvig, marketing manager of Rain Bird, located in Tucson, Ariz. “The efficiency is built-in. There is little human intervention. It just happens.” 

It sounds easy enough. And, surprisingly, it is. “Getting smart,” as some irrigation specialists like to call it, can be as simple as buying the right piece of equipment and learning how to use it. But, first, contractors should know what water conservation or efficiency is, why it is important and how it can benefit both you and your clients.

CONSERVATION 101. According to Tom Ash, director of conservation for HydroPoint Data Systems, Newport Beach, Calif., water conservation in landscape irrigation is applying the right amount of water to a landscape based on the landscape’s needs. These needs are determined by knowing the landscape inside and out, including factors such as the soil type, the plant materials that require irrigation, whether the land is flat or sloped, what percentage of the landscape will be in the sun vs. the shade and the region’s weather. “There is actually a scientific equation that can be used to determine an area’s water budget, or how much water should go on a particular landscape,” Ash says. “Unfortunately, it is rarely used by irrigation installers.”
 
According to Ash, this “water budget” equation can be solved by multiplying the evapotranspiration (ET) times the plant water need (Kc) times the landscape area (square footage). The entire equation is then divided by the irrigation system’s efficiency. Kc stands for “crop coefficient” and serves as a way to put a number to how much water plants need. The number is determined by a university or government agency based on the best available science. Because it considers a region’s local ET, the Kc will be different depending on where in the county you are. Any local extension office in the U.S. will have Kc estimates for turf, Ash says. For more information about water budgets, visit the Irrigation Association’s Web site (www.irrigation.org).
 
For example, in Colorado, a water budget could be determined by multiplying 30 inches of evapotranspiration times .80 or 80 percent plant water needs times 1 acre of irrigated landscape to equal 24 inches of water per year (or 4 inches per month or 1 inch per week) for 1 acre of Kentucky bluegrass.
 
“It’s obvious that the equation will differ because factors like weather are different in every area,” Ash says. “But the ultimate goal of efficient irrigation is the same.”
 
The factors not only differ in every area, but they can differ everyday. When the weather and seasons change, a sprinkler valve breaks, a tree dies or a new one is planted, the amount of water needed to efficiently sustain a landscape also changes.
 
“It’s really tough for landscape industry professionals to determine water efficiency because there are so many variables,” Ash says. “But water agencies are starting to demand that you get efficient.”
 
From a contractor perspective, the water conservation movement is inspiring. “We’re not worried about water conservation, we’re excited about it,” says Jerry Budnick, president of Alternative Maintenance Services, a Los Angeles-based landscaping company that uses “smart” irrigation. “We have an amazing opportunity to make a difference by applying smart irrigation technology as well as educating the general public about water conservation. We all need to do our part to conserve our natural resources for future generations.”

SMART START. So, what exactly makes an irrigation system “smart?” A smart irrigation system uses environmental factors such as soil moisture, rain, wind and plant evapotranspiration rates, to determine how much water a site needs and when it needs it. This process drastically eliminates overwatering, which not only wastes water, but also drowns and rots roots, inhibits nutrient absorption, causes premature plant death, invites fungal disease and attracts insect infestations. Overwatering is also known to erode landscapes and stain and crack sidewalks and other paved areas.
 
“Overwatering accounts for more than 80 percent of landscape damage,” Budnick says. “Alarmingly, most landscapes are overwatered by anywhere from 30 to 300 percent.”
 
Currently, one of the “smartest” irrigation components is a controller, which enables the user to easily adjust the system’s watering schedule to adapt to the particular landscape and the region’s weather.
 
The intelligence of a controller is measured by the results of the Smart Water Application Technology, or SWAT, test issued by the Irrigation Association. Any manufacturer of a weather-based controller can submit their product for testing. To conduct the test, a controller is programmed to irrigate a virtual landscape subjected to a representative climate. After the controller is programmed, it is left to function without human intervention for the duration of the test. Its performance is then rated based on whether or not the end moisture levels are within the acceptable range.
 
The SWAT test is a critical component to California State Law Assembly Bill 1881, which states that all irrigation controllers sold in California will have to be “smart” controllers by the year 2012, Budnick says. Passing the SWAT test is required to determine which controllers are “smart.”
 
“This technology is the way of the future and “smart” irrigation will soon be required rather than simply encouraged,” Budnick says. “It has been a win-win situation for our clients, our business and the environment.”
However, according to Ash, although many irrigation controller manufacturers claim their controllers are “smart,” only four products to date have passed the SWAT test with grades of 100 percent adequacy, meaning the right amount of water is applied to the test landscapes with zero percent excess, meaning the system applies water so there is no runoff or water-waste.
 
“Most controllers are not as ‘smart’ as a landscape contractor might wish they were,” Ash says. “You need to be sure to avoid marketing schemes and get a piece that actually works.”

PIECES AND PARTS. According to Chris Wright, regional sales manager for the Walla Walla Sprinkler Co., based in Walla Walla, Wash., many manufacturers are also conducting research to develop other “smart” irrigation system components, with some such products already available or currently in production.
 
“Manufacturers are always looking for ways to enhance existing products,” Wright says. “And all of these developments are made in an effort to save water.”
 
Other components of a “smart” irrigation system include pressure regulation devices, check valve devices, high-efficiency nozzles, drip irrigation devices, automatic shut-off devices, multi-stream rotating sprinklers, and centralized control systems.
 
Pressure regulation devices maintain optimal water pressure to prevent wasteful misting or fogging and, according to Rain Bird statistics, can reduce water usage by 6 to 8 percent for every 5 psi above optimal water pressure. Check valve devices prevent water from draining out of the system at the lowest sprinkler, eliminating erosion and run-off. High-efficiency nozzles provide a more uniform distribution of water and can reduce overspray and improve watering efficiency by 30 percent. Drip irrigation delivers the water where the plant needs it most, resulting in an average water-savings of 30 to 50 percent. Automatic shut-off devices turn controllers off when it’s raining or when the landscape has been sufficiently watered. Multi-stream rotating sprinklers attach to any sprinkler head to uniformly apply water to a landscape using matched precipitation and centralized control systems allow users to monitor multiple controllers, sensors and other irrigation devices at the same time, resulting in water-savings of 25 to 30 percent, according to Rain Bird.

“If contractors can install and operate smart irrigation systems, they can practice water-efficiency,” Natvig says. “The products that can provide water efficiency every single day they are out there.”

DIRECT DRIP. Drip irrigation, a veteran in the world of smart irrigation, has been on the market for more than 25 years, and was first used to irrigate orchards and fields in drought-prone areas like California and Israel. During drip irrigation, water is distributed exactly where it is needed most – the plant roots. This eliminates evaporation and runoff, using 30 to 50 percent less water than conventional water methods, according to Leanne Pyle, marketing specialist for DIG Irrigation Products, Vista, Calif.
 
“More important than the reduction of water applied is the efficiency of how the water is absorbed by the plants,” Pyle says. “Because drip irrigation releases water in small amounts over time directly where it is needed, the amount of water available to the plant is increased.”
 
According to Pyle, drip irrigation is between 75 and 90 percent efficient at allowing plants to use the water applied, unlike sprinkler systems that are between 65 and 75 percent efficient.
 
Although it’s been around for a while, drip irrigation is currently increasing in popularity as more and more restrictions on irrigation practices emerge, Pyle says. “Local governments are cracking down on excessive irrigation, sometimes going so far as to restrict all overhead sprinklers during daylight hours,” she explains. “This is particularly difficult on the plants that can become stressed through the heat of the day. Drip irrigation can give these plants a needed break.”

INTELLIGENCE IN ACTION. Bob Dobson of Middletown Sprinkler Co. based in Port Monmouth, N.J., first presented the idea of smart irrigation to a few select customers about a year ago. The company then began offering smart controllers in lieu of regular controllers to all of its customers. According to Dobson, it was relatively easy to demonstrate to clients the advantages of efficient irrigation.
 “We hold at least two meetings with each client where we survey the landscape and explain the operating system before making any final decisions about installation,” Dobson says. “After making them aware of smart irrigation, many are willing to invest a little more money in a system that will be trouble-free, as well as save water, down the road.”
 Dobson compares adjusting an irrigation controller to adjusting a thermostat and suggests that his customers think about one when doing the other. He finds this method also helps to put a dollar amount on the water and energy needed to run an irrigation system by connecting it to the energy needed to heat a home.
 “We try to guide our clients along their irrigation schedules,” Dobson says. “We give them guidelines based on the seasons, and the new generation of controllers allows them to adjust the units themselves.”
 However, Dobson and his crew make sure to provide continued maintenance to all of their clients by offering a variety of service plans. Along with an annual checkup and the “winterizing” of each system, Middletown Sprinkler Co. also offers clients their choice of weekly or biweekly visits. In addition, the company keeps its employees up-to-date on new advancements by having them partake in manufacturer-sponsored training sessions and other in-house training.  
 “Staying educated is part of the obligation of the industry as a whole to promote water conservation,” Dobson says. “You can have the best product and best design available, but if it’s not managed properly, it can still waste enormous amounts of water.”

SMART STATS. As the population increases, so does the demand for water. Although 75 percent of the earth is covered in water, only 1 percent of that water is available for human use, as the rest is contained in oceans and glacier ice. Global warming contributes to hotter, dryer conditions resulting in lengthy droughts that also impact the water supply. With more than 7 billion gallons of water used for landscape irrigation each day, government agencies and water service providers around the country are enforcing water regulations, many of which affect the green industry (see “Severe Shortages” on page 138 for more information).
 “Agencies have the ability to ban irrigation all together, and strict regulations have already been enforced in many parts of country,” says Wright. “These regulations will continue to become commonplace if we don’t get more efficient.”
 However, not all irrigation water-saving techniques are new. For example, drip irrigation has been around for quite some time, and Dobson has included automatic shut-off devices on every irrigation system his company has installed since 1968. However, what many contractors and manufacturers are noticing is how the perception, rather than the definition, of water conservation has changed within the industry over the years.
 “The definition of water conservation has not changed, but our ability to achieve higher efficiency has gotten better over time,” Natvig says. 
 Irrigation experts agree that advances in technology have enabled the creation of water-efficient products and, as the products become available, they should be used.
 “As a proactive approach to the conservation objective, professionals are thinking of conservation as based on efficiency, or achieving the desired effects without waste,” says Wright. “As manufacturers are creating irrigation products that operate without waste, officials are encouraging the installation of these products.”

STAYING AWARE. Awareness about water-efficient irrigation products and their benefits is necessary for the landscaping industry’s client base to embrace them. Irrigation experts say that everyone in the industry is responsible for the promotion of “smart” irrigation and the products that enable it.
 
“A synergistic approach needs to be taken by manufacturers, distributors, purveyors and contractors to be aware of the products that exist,” Wright says. “Contractors need to be open-minded and willing to learn the new techniques to effectively apply and sell them to customers.”
 
The Irrigation Association provides educational programs to contractors interested in learning about smart irrigation, and most manufacturers provide training and continued support to contractors who purchase their products.
 
Landscape contractors can also become certified in six different segments of the irrigation industry including irrigation contractors, irrigation designers, agricultural irrigation specialists, golf irrigation auditors, landscape irrigation auditors and landscape irrigation managers. According to Natvig, as water conservation becomes a bigger and bigger issue within the landscaping industry, contractors who support and use water-efficient irrigation systems will be a step ahead of the rest.
 
“Landscape contractors who use inefficient systems will continue to fall behind the times, putting themselves and their businesses at a competitive disadvantage,” Natvig says. “They can take advantage of a real marketing opportunity if they can prove their systems are more efficient than their competitors’ systems.”
 
When it comes to the consumer, stressing the amount of money they will save on their monthly water and energy bills can be a profitable marketing strategy to promote water-efficient irrigation. For example, an Austin, Tex., commercial property pays a local rate of $5 per every 1,000 gallons of water used. The property had an inefficient irrigation system that flowed to one zone at 150 gallons-per-minute. After converting that zone to multi-stream rotating sprinklers, the system’s flow was reduced to less than 50 gallons per minute, covering the same area.
 
“In terms of water consumption and energy waste, it can be hard to put a dollar amount on the precise savings,” Wright says. “But if you extrapolate it out over an entire season, the dollar amounts can be significant.”
 
One of Budnick’s clients, a private school located in West Los Angeles, has experienced a 33 percent annual water savings since the installation of a smart controller three years ago. The school qualified for a pilot program conducted by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and was able to receive the installation of their smart irrigation system free-of-charge. 
 
“I would urge contractors to contact their local water agencies to see what rebates or programs are available to cover or offset the cost of purchasing and installing smart controllers,” Budnick says. “Many agencies either subsidize or cover the complete cost of upgrading to a weather-based irrigation controller.”
 
In addition to installing smart irrigation systems, educating your clients about water conservation and offering them continued system maintenance can help create and establish the image that the green industry is an industry that cares.
 
 “We should all, as an industry, take a leadership role in providing, encouraging and using water-efficient irrigation systems,” Natvig says. “If we are looked upon as an industry that is genuinely concerned about and practices water efficiency, it will be better for all of us.”