Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2007 - (Page 31)

IRRIGATION Communication Essential Among Designer, Developer, Contractor Tips for successful irrigation installation, resulting in trouble-free maintenance for years to come. By Robert Pfeil and Craig Otto, CLIA, CIC, CID An irrigation system that functions exceptionally well is the sign of a true professional. To ensure irrigation installations are kept at the highest quality, developers and contractors should remain mindful of a few tips that will keep systems running and customers happy. Like most situations within the land development industry, communication between the developer and the contractor is essential. While much of the burden often falls to the contractor, to save time and money, the developer needs to know the questions to ask and the answers he should hear in return. installation. The result is wasted water, wasted time and – in the end – wasted money. Most irrigators over water because they do not take the time to determine where the water should go and how much should be applied. Potential obstacles that are not taken into account can create a more expensive installation, making it hard to save money on the job. A good design makes the installer’s job much easier and less costly. Tip #3: Think about the future Even if a plan works well for today, it may not meet the requirements of tomorrow. It is important to ascertain future design possibilities and needs. For example, when installing in a new residential development, contractors should account for the possibility that, as more houses are added to the area, available water flow and pressure may change This may require smaller spacing on heads to account for a loss in pressure. Contractors should also ask the developer questions about the future expectations of the property. Is the property owner thinking about adding a deck to the back yard? If so, the contractor can reroute the mainline when installing the system, greatly reducing the time needed down the road to rework the system when that deck is finally installed. Tip #2: Plan Hundreds, even thousands, of dollars can be saved by planning the installation. Needless trips to the supply house, employees waiting idly for Tip #1: Start with a professional design A quality installation begins with a professional design. When done correctly, a proper irrigation design goes beyond laying out pipe and selecting heads. An irrigation designer should collect important site information such as available flow and pressure, water needs of the target plant material, and potential obstacles to a clean installation to create a highly efficient system. Assembling site information for the irrigation design can have a profound effect on the outcome of the system. Accurate flow and pressure readings can eliminate costly mistakes such as too many heads on a zone. All too frequently, developers and contractors go onto a property determining zones and water needs based on the shape of the property rather than on the plant water requirements, situation of the property and the long term implications of the Tip #4: Choose the right materials Developers should make sure that the contractors are using the lastest technology. All too frequently when going to a distributor for irrigation products, contractors reach for the supplies that they know and trust. Keep in mind there are many new products on the market that may make jobs easier. Contractors should spend some time educating themselves on what is available and what makes the most sense for the project on which they are working. materials to arrive, reworking an installation “on the fly” because of a poor design can all be eliminated with proper planning. Before stepping onto a job, contractors should make a list of what needs to be done and what products are needed. Contractors can then coordinate these elements to ensure that everything is delivered on time. A little obsessive behavior before hand should help to reduce overall costs. www.LandDevelopmentToday.com 31 http://www.LandDevelopmentToday.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2007

Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2007 Contents Our Voice: Teaching and Learning Your Voice: Reader Response Editorial Board A 52-Mile Taking Fiber to the Front Doors of America Educators Incorporating Sustainability Land Planning: The Truth about Sprawl Irrigation: Communication Key Wastewater: Many Challenges Determine Sewer Options Regulation: Changing by State, Region, and Municipality Risk Management: Construction Defect Claims Recommended Reading Products/Services Showcase Advertiser Index Calendar Classifieds The Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - September 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.