Landscape Management, June 2017

profit centers end users and contractors have learned about that continue to drive growth in drip irrigation For example Foster says contractors are beginning to realize that drip and subsurface drip irrigation can maximize water efficiency in windy environments In particular he has seen an increase in the use of drip irrigation on the green spaces of car dealerships to prevent overspray on their inventory Public agencies many of which were introduced to drip irrigation because of water scarcity issues now use drip to decrease the likelihood of vandalism and to prevent damage from high levels of foot traffic Sports fields are seeing the benefits of drip and subsurface drip irrigation which provides water at such a slow rate the systems can run even while the fields are in use This flexibility also helps control the firmness of the playing fields and eliminates slippery unsafe surfaces These uses have nothing to do with water conservation Foster says We are seeing customers leveraging drip because of its other benefits Its a very exciting time still a small share Steve Hamburg senior irrigation technician at Twin Oaks Landscape in Ann Arbor Mich says the company began installing irrigation systems about 10 years ago While he says advancements in drip technology allow for intricate system designs that provide greater control with less water waste less than 1 percent of the systems he installs are drip lines Only about 2 percent of the companys irrigation maintenance clients use drip lines for part of their systems Twin Oaks provides 60 percent maintenance and 40 percent design build services to a half residential half commercial clientele slow adoption though beneficial drip irrigation makes up a small percentage of revenue for many pros We have tried to embrace the new technology but its really a product that is specific to a particular environment and to a particular client Hamburg says noting the company is more focused on introducing their clients to Wi Fi controllers We provide the information but generally our clients lean toward standard systems Al lan Wittur owner of Aqua Irrigation in Brentwood Bay British Columbia says his company has been installing drip irrigation systems for about 10 years While he agrees drip systems are much more efficient than their traditional counterparts he says it can be challenging to educate customers on these benefits People equate beautiful sprays with a well run irrigation system Wittur says But that is not the only version of quality irrigation Our clients are asking about drip and some municipalities are insisting on it Wittur says drip irrigation systems are a solution to water shortages that are taking place throughout North America and are also ideal for mature garden spaces or for landscapes with plants that will grow quickly and block sprays He notes the biggest challenge to installing drip systems is educating his crews about the importance of the aesthetics of the drip line Customers dont want to see the line he says We have to spend a little bit more time not only with the installation process to address this but in educating our install crews about the aesthetic issue Industry experts agree that its important for contractors to be properly educated on new advancements to see their benefits Spaulding says most drawbacks to new technology occur because of a lack of product knowledge and improper installation procedures Its now more important than ever to choose the right product for each and every installation site he says Contractors should not hesitate to receive and accept various forms of product support and training if necessary Foster says the Rain Bird Academy Irrigation Training Classes provide professional training and certification courses to help keep contractors in the know The Irrigation Association distributors and other manufacturers also provide drip specific training There are some contractors who have built their businesses on drip only Foster says Doing it well and creating a reputation for doing it well will only enhance their profitability over time Schappacher is a freelance writer based in Cleveland IrrIgatIon Water ManageMent LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET June 2017 54 photo Rain BiRd allan Wittur Steve Hamburg