Understanding the Basics of How Drip Irrigation Works
An irrigation method that can help homeowners maintain a beautiful and healthy garden while ensuring significant water savings is drip irrigation.
Irrigation technology has advanced considerably over the years. People can now access several efficient ways to water their yards or garden. Different irrigation systems use different methods to provide water to plants; some are more efficient than others. One such irrigation method that can help homeowners maintain a beautiful and healthy garden while ensuring significant water savings is drip irrigation.
What is drip irrigation, and how does it work?
Drip irrigation, or trickle irrigation, is a highly efficient method of watering plants, trees, shrubs, and flower beds. While an average sprinkler system is about 75% efficient, a drip irrigation system boasts an efficiency of around 90%.
A drip irrigation system applies water in a slow and controlled manner directly to the plant root zone. Properly designed, installed, and managed drip irrigation systems can water plants evenly and reduce runoff and evaporation, which proves highly beneficial in conserving water.
A drip irrigation system has several components:
Water pump: Supplies water from the source through the drip irrigation system components at the correct pressure.
Filtration system: It filters the suspended impurities to prevent them from clogging the drippers over time.
Mainlines: Supply water from the water source to the sub main and is usually made from PVC.
Sub-mainline: Supplies water to the laterals from the mainline and are smaller in diameter.
Laterals: Supply water to the drippers. Lateral pipes are more flexible and smaller.
Control valves: Their primary job is to regulate the water flow in the system. These control valves are installed on mainlines, sub mains, and filtration systems.
Backflow preventer: Prevents water from flowing back into the pipes and contaminating the water source.
Fertilizer tank: This tank provides fertilizer, pesticides, and manure to the plants.
Pressure gauge: Helps determine the water pressure in the irrigation system.
Emitters or drippers: Carry water to the plant’s roots and are made from plastic. They can either be connected externally to the laterals or fitted in them.
Drip tubing: This tubing has internally built drip emitters and facilitates water distribution.
End cap: This blocking element is placed at the end of the drip irrigation system to stop the water flow and create a closed system.
Besides these advantages, a drip irrigation system has a flush valve at the sub-main pipe’s end to flush out dirt and an air release valve to remove entrapped air.
Drip irrigation system advantages
Allow even water distribution
Reduces water waste
Inexpensive and easy to install
Minimizes soil erosion
Works well for most soil types
Help the plant retain nutrients
Highly energy efficient
Low-maintenance requirement
Prevent plant diseases
Reduces weed growth
Saves time, money, and labor
Valuable for watering lawns and gardens in arid regions
Choose the best irrigation system
It is critical to ensure that the drip irrigation system is installed correctly to enjoy all the benefits of a drip irrigation system. Talk to a local irrigation expert to understand if drip irrigation is suitable for your property and ensure its proper installation.
With over 10 years of experience in the Peoria, Arizona, area, HS Irrigation and Landscape Lighting offers sprinkler design and installation, irrigation repair and maintenance, drip irrigation, and landscape lighting design and installation. Feel free to call us at 623 292 5478.
