Spring weather is right around the corner and many maintenance managers are looking to optimize their seasonal water usage with a more efficient irrigation plan. Whether saving water is a part of your company’s ESG goals, contributing to cost-effective strategies, or you just want to get more eco-friendly, smart irrigation is one way to achieve your objectives.

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Here are some suggestions of how to improve your irrigation system this spring:

• Monitor rainfall so you can use nature to do the work for you, saving energy and water. You may also want to use a rain barrel, storing water when it rains for reuse during drier periods of the season.
• Avoiding soil compaction will keep your soil healthy and ready to receive water when necessary. Staying out of wet fields, reducing axle weight and tire pressure, and planting cover crops in traffic areas can help minimize the risk of soil compaction.
• Ensure that your system is working optimally. Check for leaky nozzles and cracked hoses to confirm that no water leaks exist. You may also want to consider upgrading to high-efficiency sprinkler heads, like rotary nozzles or low-flow sprinkler heads to achieve better water distribution. These can also help reduce water loss due to evaporation and wind drift.
• Smart technology can help improve your irrigation system’s performance. Rather than watering on a fixed schedule, today’s smart irrigation systems contain sensors that mean watering only occurs when needed, saving water and keeping your grounds at their healthiest. Some even use predictive technology to monitor weather patterns for optimal watering.
• Rain or freeze sensors are also available. These sensors detect weather to turn off any planned irrigation and keep your water use optimal.
• Shifting from traditional gravity irrigation to modern pressurised systems like drip and sprinkler irrigation will help provide increased efficiency and reduce the demand for water.

If you are irrigating your property this spring and summer, take a proactive approach to ensure that you are reducing your water use, saving money, and working towards getting greener with your practices.