Irrigation: Get water smart
1 Sep, 2005 By: Lorne Haveruk Landscape ManagementCentral irrigation control systems save water, labor and, yes -- money
Have you ever wished you had more control over water management on your job sites in between visits? Ever ask yourself questions like, did the system water last night? Are the plants still alive? Has anything broken since the last visit?
A "yes" answer to any of these questions indicates you might be ready to suggest a central irrigation control system (CICS) to your clients. Or maybe it's time you purchased one and sold a monitoring service to your clients so that you're in control and make some money at the same time.
First it's necessary to arm yourself with knowledge about systems — what they are, how they work, and the potential for water and labor savings. Knowing this will allow you to present a comprehensive package to your clients.
First, be patient. It takes a while to gather the necessary information to make an informed decision on the best system. There are several on the market and all have their advantages.
How they work
A CICS allows you to automatically program and control all aspects of the on-site irrigation controllers or timers at multiple sites via a central computer.
Laptop computers are useful because you can take them on site to test system flows, operation, weather station input and other operational factors. If you choose a desktop computer you will need remote access (a dedicated phone line and its associated monthly fees) or another connection like the Internet (also with monthly fees, but you might benefit from more general use).
A CICS consists of a hardware and software package that offers genuine central management of many remote irrigation systems from one central office or the road. This package manages irrigation systems by sending out instructions or schedules and it constantly monitors feedback to verify the instructions are carried out.
Some systems receive information at preset times and are not connected 24/7. Depending upon the system, it can send a signal out via phone, radio, Internet, Ethernet or other form of communication. These transmissions are generally short bursts of information, similar to the system saying, "It's raining, shut me off."
Once the system is set up, you can access your central computer via the Internet from anywhere.
Most systems can monitor current flow, check for breaks or leaks and turn off any offending zones or the main line. A CICS manages water flow throughout the entire system to take maximum advantage of available water. They prevent mainlines from exceeding their capacities and reduce the watering window — the time required to water the site in a manageable amount of time.
Reducing operational time saves energy. It cuts down on wear and tear to system components, giving it a longer life. Another bonus, the CICS can control and monitor lights, fountains and security systems.
Benefits and savings
The immediate savings are in water. Most controller-run sites are over-watered because they are watered based on time instead of weather.
Adopt this motto: "Water with the weather, not the time." This is where the savings are. When the CICS is combined with weather sensing instrumentation, the program can determine the daily evapo-transpiration (ET) rate – how much water is lost from soil evaporation and how much water the plant used to keep itself cool (transpiration). The system computes the amount of water plants require (as a function of the weather and other factors), and adjusts irrigation schedules appropriately.
The water savings are achieved because the CICS replaces only the amount of water lost through evaporation and transpiration.
 Balance the book |
You're in control
Water savings and their associated labor savings are a big benefit but these systems also generate reports for all aspects of central operations. You will know exactly which station is broken and maybe even why, and back up service-related work orders with site reports.
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