Aug - 2006 Urban Irrigation Study

A study of irrigation systems installed in 50 home lawns and gardens in Sydney has recently been completed (Maheshwari, 2006). Between November 2004 and March 2005 these homeowners were not subjected to water restrictions in order to obtain an accurate representation of the effectiveness of various irrigation systems and how much water they use.

The study found that irrigation accounted for 34% of total household water use, with gardens taking two thirds of the water and lawn areas taking the remaining one third. Homeowners tend to significantly over-water smaller irrigated spaces (less than 50m²) by 2 or more times what the plants actually require.

This suggests that more education needs to be provided to homeowners with respect to the irrigation of garden areas combined with the introduction of 'smart' irrigation technologies to reduce water waste.

The recommendations of the study can be broken up into three areas:

The design, installation and maintenance of the physical system.
The conservation measures used at the site.
The water practice of homeowners.

Point a) represents the area that we can have the most direct positive influence. Reece Irrigation has an accredited design department that is focused on designing water-efficient systems using the latest irrigation technology. Additionally, as professionals our customers can take steps to ensure systems are installed correctly and maintenance is performed at regular intervals to ensure they are running as efficiently as possible.

Points b) and c) are more dependent on the homeowner, but with better education both of these areas can be improved. Conservation measures used at the site include options such as installation of a rainwater pump & tank or the use of a rain or soil moisture sensor. Some of these options can be cost-prohibitive but communicating the benefits will increase the likelihood of homeowners selecting them.

'Water practice' is ultimately the responsibility of the homeowner, especially when manual systems or hand-watering products are being used. Explaining the water-saving benefits of installing fully-automatic irrigation systems is the best way of communicating this to the end user, and has the potential to increase the value of an irrigation installation. Alternatively, tips such as watering late at night, watering every 2nd day or leaving a manual system on for only half as long are all ways in which homeowner 'water practice' can be improved through education.

*Credit: Australian Water Association 'Water' Journal, August 2006. Author: Basant Maheshwari, University of Western Sydney/CRC for Irrigation Futures (02 4570 1235). A full copy of the project report can be downloaded at:
www.irrigationfutures.org.au