How To: Install a public drip irrigation system
1 Jun, 2006 By: Landscape Management Staff LDB SolutionsWater conservation is important to government agencies and homeowners alike. Drip irrigation systems can help reduce the amount of water applied. In addition, runoff and evaporation is reduced because the water is applied slowly, allowing it to percolate through the soil.
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Conventional drip systems use ½-in. poly tubing, with a variety of outside diameters, as the mainline and ¼-in. feeder lines extend to each plant. This is great for the homeowner, but is not necessarily an ideal solution in a park or other public setting. Public spaces that have high traffic benefit from streamlined systems that have fewer parts so they aren't as susceptible to damage from traffic, cultivation and vandalism.
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1. A planting and irrigation plan helps the installation process every step of the way. Evaluating the dimensions of the property to be irrigated and the plants used in the landscape will help determine what emitters to use, and how many. Always allow for future growth and/or expansion.
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2. The head assembly, or a drip zone, consists of a valve, filter and pressure regulator. It is a series of in-line components that are connected together and installed at the beginning of the system. These components are necessary to use with drip systems to keep the water supply clean and the pressure down to acceptable levels (between 20 and 30 psi).
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3. Separating the low-volume line from the sprinkler line will allow for more flexibility when programming the controller. Separate zones can be programmed to run schedules tailored to the plants in each section. Use PVC pipe as the main lateral for both the low-volume and sprinkler lines.
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4. Multiple risers should be placed on the low-volume line for flexibility during installation. The risers should come up just inches above the ground. Attach an elbow to the riser and tighten by hand. Attach a T to the elbow. Insert ½-in. poly tubing into each side of the T and run it as the main line toward the plants to be irrigated.
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5. For plants that are randomly dispersed, run ½-in. poly tubing to the area to be irrigated. Insert 1-gph pressure-compensating emitters directly into the main line close to the plants. Use two emitters per shrub, one on each side of the plant and about 10 in. to 12 in. apart. Take care not to place an emitter where it will dispense water into the crown of the plant, as this can cause crown rot.
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