Irigation Consultants:?EUR??,,??How to use them effectively

By Brian E. Vinchesi, CID, CLIA, CIC, GGIA, CLIM*

To guarantee a project?EUR??,,??s success, Vinchesi reccomends developing a punch list on all irrigation projects even smaller residential projects like the one pictured above.

In the irrigation industry, there are contractors, distributors and manufacturers that all work together to bring an irrigation project together. Another player in this process, one that most people know little about, is the irrigation consultant. Irrigation consultants have been serving the irrigation industry for over forty years, first in the form of the Soil Conservation Service engineers and as university extension specialist?EUR??,,??s. Irrigation consultants specializing in turf have been practicing in California for over 30 years, but have only come into common use in other areas of the country in the last ten years.

Irrigation Project Without A Consultant?

Even though many irrigation projects now utilize irrigation consultants, the majority of irrigation installations still do not. In some parts of the country, irrigation consultants are non-existent. The difference between an irrigation designer and an irrigation consultant should be defined right up front as there seems to be a lot of confusion over this issue. As there are many good irrigation consultants there are also many good irrigation designers.

Consultants go further with an irrigation project than a designer, in that the consultant is usually responsible for more than just the irrigation design and specifications. Their additional ?EUR??,,??value added?EUR??,,?? services may include master planning, water use and supply studies, system evaluations, L.E.E.D. calculations, pump system design, alternative water supply analysis, on-site staking, and observation of installation to insure the use of the specified materials and approved installation procedures. Independent consultants will not have any product ties to a manufacturer or distributor and will be able to effectively supervise installation, as they will not have any association with the contractor, much like the Landscape Architect. They are paid by the client and therefore look out for the clients?EUR??,,?? interests, while being fair to all parties involved. Keep in mind that all irrigation consultants however, are not necessarily independent. Irrigation consultants have increased to the point where some irrigation equipment distributors feel it necessary to have their own in-house consulting companies in order to be able to sell their products.

Determining alternative sources of water for an irrigation system is a prime reason to utilize an irrigation consultant on a project.The sooner the irrigation consultant can be involved in discussions regarding a project, the more input and expertise they can provide in identifying potential problems.

Do the Reasearch

To help utilize an irrigation consultant more effectively, the client in selecting a consultant, needs to do their research and obtain the services of a consulting firm that is experienced in the type of irrigation project being considered. Items that might be considered in the selection are: project type; municipal or public work experience versus private work or golf irrigation experience versus commercial irrigation consulting experience.

A consultant may also specialize in a specific aspect of the irrigation project that is very important to the projects success, such as permitting, L.E.E.D. credits, rainwater harvesting or experience working in a particular geographical area. The consultant should have a reputation for providing accurate costs estimates with projects that are on budget. The client should ask prospective irrigation consultants questions and have their project goals well thought out before interviewing the consultant. The client should have the consultant draft a letter stipulating the design process and outlining the design intent. This is an important document both before the project starts and after the project is finished as everyone?EUR??,,??s memory becomes clouded, and disagreements can occur as to what was decided. This is especially true in golf where board members and golf course superintendents can change, or in public work were municipal officials are voted in and out of office.

Specifying the proper irrigation equipment and approving materials is another aspect of irrigation consultant services.

No Information is No Help At All

Any consultant is useless without information, and if the client does not provide the needed information, irrigation consulting services will be less effective. The client needs to feed information to the consultant, not only answering their questions, but also providing their opinion and stating what irrigation features they like or do not like. Some consultants tell a client what they believe they need or stipulate what they need in contrast to what the client may want. Communication with the consultant avoids this problem. The client should schedule the consultant?EUR??,,??s time effectively, which will make them more functional and worthwhile. As a good irrigation consultant is not inexpensive, proper scheduling will provide a better return on the client?EUR??,,??s investment. Good communication starts up front with set fees and a firm understanding of what fees are additional such as travel expenses, meetings, permits, etc.

Using an Irrigation Consultant Effectively

How can an irrigation consultant be used most effectively? Probably the first and most important step is to bring the consultant into a project as early as possible. Bringing an irrigation consultant on board once a problem is encountered is like closing the barn door after the cows have gotten out. For example, hiring the consultant after the irrigation system is installed, because there is not enough water to operate it. The solution to the problem, if solvable, will not be as smooth and certainly will be more expensive than had the consultant been on board before the system was installed. The sooner the irrigation consultant can be involved in discussions regarding a project the more input and expertise they can provide, many times identifying a potential problem such as permits needed or alternative water supplies before any money is spent. This is extremely important in L.E.E.D. and alternative water supply projects such as rainwater recovery. Of course, experience plays an important role in such a process, so it is important to select an experienced consultant, one who has a long and proven track record working on similar projects so they have the ability to recognize potential pitfalls early on.

The consultant can provide accurate and timely information to any irrigation project anywhere in its schedule. From a golf standpoint they can get on board early to help sell a project to a reluctant membership, or a developer the benefits of spending a little more money now to save a lot later. The consultant keeps an open mind that can be used effectively to keep suppliers and contractors honest or from stretching the truth or making exaggerated product claims. The consultant should know what products best fits a particular project or site and what are the local service capabilities.

Begin at the Beginning

An excellent place to begin working with an irrigation consultant is at the project master planning and permitting stage. Master planning can provide a well thought out comprehensive approach to an irrigation project taking into consideration such items as project phasing, budgets, water supply and future expansion. The irrigation consultant can bring valuable insight into large project planning, saving valuable time and effort as the project proceeds further in its development. The irrigation consultant can also provide coordination of all aspects of the irrigation system components. This will include having the proper size water supply, watering within the required water window for the site, having the proper controller location, size and electricity and coordinating the pump supply, water, power and pressure.

Estimating Water Usage

Water costs for irrigation system operation can be a shock to the owner when the first bill comes in. By properly estimating water use beforehand, at the design phase, the weekly and daily water use and associated costs can be determined. Based on the results, changes in plantings or irrigation can be made or an investigation into the viability of using an alternative water supply can be considered. Potential electrical costs can also be determined before hand.

An irrigation consultant can provide an irrigation plan that meets the strict requirements of a project. Requirements include: having the correct water size water supply; watering within the required water window for the site; proper controller location, size and electricity; coordinating the pump supply, water, power and pressure.

Realistic cost estimates, provided by the irrigation consultant, at the start of a project and at particular stages throughout a project helps to keep everyone on budget. The consultant can also tell when project costs, labor or materials, are too high or in some cases so low that product or installation quality may be compromised.

The consultant should be called upon to choose the appropriate materials for a project. A good consultant is familiar with all irrigation products, even those that may not be familiar to a particular market. Choosing an irrigation consultant that regularly attends trade shows and conferences, such as the Irrigation Association annual conference and exposition, will help insure that they are up to date with the ever-changing equipment and technologies available in the irrigation industry. Many times the least expensive equipment is not the best equipment for the project as the long-term costs are higher or there is no service or support for the equipment once it is sold. The experienced consultant will be able to point all of these potential problems out and properly advise the client. Water conservation is a buzzword in the irrigation industry, but rarely is water-conserving technology found in irrigation systems. The irrigation consultant is up to date on the new technologies in the industry that truly conserve water such as smart controllers and moisture sensors. Proper design and consultation can help conserve water for the life of an irrigation system, again maybe costing more up-front, but saving many times the extra cost over the life of the irrigation system. Independent consultants will pick the best materials for the project, not basing their design solely on overall product cost or what they sell like a distributor or design/build contractor.

Any Questions?

The consultant can answer questions that come up and help manage the project, freeing up the time of golf course superintendents, developers, Landscape Architects and project managers. The consultant is the person most familiar with the irrigation aspects of a project and the client should encourage them to answer questions and provide direction. The consultant knows how to avoid common irrigation problems, which provides value to the client.

Water conservation is a buzzword in the irrigation industry, but rarely is water-conserving technology found in irrigation systems. The irrigation consultant is up to date on the new technologies in the industry that truly conserve water such as smart controllers and moisture sensors. Proper design and consultation can help conserve water for the life of an irrigation system, again maybe costing more up-front, but saving many times the extra cost over the life of the irrigation system. Independent consultants will pick the best materials for the project, not basing their design solely on overall product cost or what they sell like a distributor or design/build contractor.

Making sure that the pipe is installed at the proper depth is an important part of construction observation for irrigation systems. Observing construction for proper installation techniques including depth of bury, wire tightness, trench compaction, swing joint position, matched precipitation nozzling and valve box grade.

Construction coordination is probably the most important aspect of the irrigation system in which the irrigation consultant can be utilized, but rarely are they retained for this service. By implementing the intent of the design and specifications the system will be installed and operated as envisioned with associated operation and maintenance costs as stated by the consultant. Construction coordination can consist of many services a few of which are:

1. Checking materials to see that they conform to the specification before they are installed.
2. Observing construction for proper installation techniques including depth of bury, wire tightness, trench compaction, swing joint position, matched precipitation nozzling, valve box grade, etc.
3. Issuing and approving irrigation related change orders.
4. Staking the sprinkler locations which is a natural extension of the design.

Punch listing the irrigation system when complete to correct deficiencies in the installation or operation of the system.

In today?EUR??,,??s water conscious world, effective use of an irrigation consultant is essential. It will be beneficial to the end user when the consultant is brought in early, the consultant is provided with information in an orderly and timely fashion, when the consultant is able to feed off their experience and when the consultant is able to use well established procedures in the design, bidding and construction observation of a project. It is up to the client and the irrigation consultant together to coordinate the irrigation project to make the best use of the consultant, which will in turn provide the results the client, is looking for in the installation and long-term operation of their irrigation system.