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2005 has been a good year for the American Society of Irrigation Consultants (ASIC) and the irrigation business in overall. We added new membership categories this year to better represent the breadth of consultant skills and services. Our professional membership and industry support grew steadily over the past 11 months.
The national movement toward resource responsibility and accountability continues to draw attention to the value and importance of irrigation design and management, which in turn creates bigger budgets and a more rigorous selection process. We expect this momentum to continue on the foreseeable future.
Property developers and project managers increasingly understand that independent irrigation consultants assume the responsibility of an irrigation project?EUR??,,????'???s success, which extends far beyond a high-performance irrigation design. It also includes preliminary planning, design development, professional contract and construction documents, bidding and award services, and contract administration and observation.
Low interest rates and broad financing programs have helped the construction industry remain robust; also good news for the landscape and irrigation industries. We?EUR??,,????'???re hopeful this activity will continue through next year. Both residential and commercial development are enjoying numerous hotspots throughout the U.S. Master-planned communities and business/commercial centers are providing good opportunities for professional proposals, although the golf course construction industry is relatively flat.
For the time being, things look good for ASIC and the irrigation industry in 2006. Increased accountability for resource management and consumption can only bode well for professionals in the industry. It?EUR??,,????'???s refreshing and encouraging to watch irrigation design and management standards being raised outside of the industry.
There?EUR??,,????'???s a tremendous responsibility to the client, the environment and the community that goes into a large-scale irrigation project. Members of the American Society of Irrigation Consultants embrace this responsibility and provide accountability for a durable, performing irrigation project.
Dan Benner is president of Hydro Environmental, Inc., a full-service irrigation consulting firm in Marietta, Ga.
In 2005, an average business year for the landscape sector of the irrigation industry, the Irrigation Association paved the way to make 2006 the year of the landscape irrigation contractor within the association. In the summer, the IA Board of Directors embraced a plan by the IA Contractor Common Interest Group to expand the role of the contractor within the organization. The plan was launched at the 26th Annual International Irrigation Show with a Contractor Reception and the continuation of the Affiliate Leadership conference. Andy Smith of Boyne City, Mich., joined the staff as state and affiliate relations director. Smith, an IA Certified Irrigation Contractor, has run his own irrigation contracting business since 1999. Smith is also an IA Certified Irrigation Designer and a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor. He will continue the work he started as an IA member volunteer acting as a strong advocate for irrigation contractors. The IA?EUR??,,????'???s growing relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency is another boost for landscape irrigation contractors. The IA and EPA agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding that will help the association help professional contractors differentiate their services by educating consumers about the importance of professional design, installation, maintenance and management of irrigation systems. Along the same lines, the IA will continue work with a marketing firm that is creating a plan to raise awareness of the importance of Certification among contractors and consumers. The expanding economy and robust housing market are contributing to a strong irrigation market despite a mediocre 2005, which could not recover from a slow start due to wet weather that delayed the season in California and in the East. Manufacturers anticipate sales for 2005 will range from level to a 3 percent increase over 2004. High energy prices played havoc on the market directly and through dramatic increases in the price of PVC pipe and wire. Distributors are offering price quotes good for just 24 hours as a hedge against increasing materials costs. Since 1949, the Irrigation Association has worked toward a shared vision?EUR??,,????'??+water conservation through efficient irrigation.
In 2005, an average business year for the landscape sector of the irrigation industry, the Irrigation Association paved the way to make 2006 the year of the landscape irrigation contractor within the association.
In the summer, the IA Board of Directors embraced a plan by the IA Contractor Common Interest Group to expand the role of the contractor within the organization. The plan was launched at the 26th Annual International Irrigation Show with a Contractor Reception and the continuation of the Affiliate Leadership conference.
Andy Smith of Boyne City, Mich., joined the staff as state and affiliate relations director. Smith, an IA Certified Irrigation Contractor, has run his own irrigation contracting business since 1999. Smith is also an IA Certified Irrigation Designer and a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor. He will continue the work he started as an IA member volunteer acting as a strong advocate for irrigation contractors.
The IA?EUR??,,????'???s growing relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency is another boost for landscape irrigation contractors. The IA and EPA agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding that will help the association help professional contractors differentiate their services by educating consumers about the importance of professional design, installation, maintenance and management of irrigation systems. Along the same lines, the IA will continue work with a marketing firm that is creating a plan to raise awareness of the importance of Certification among contractors and consumers.
The expanding economy and robust housing market are contributing to a strong irrigation market despite a mediocre 2005, which could not recover from a slow start due to wet weather that delayed the season in California and in the East.
Manufacturers anticipate sales for 2005 will range from level to a 3 percent increase over 2004. High energy prices played havoc on the market directly and through dramatic increases in the price of PVC pipe and wire. Distributors are offering price quotes good for just 24 hours as a hedge against increasing materials costs.
Since 1949, the Irrigation Association has worked toward a shared vision?EUR??,,????'??+water conservation through efficient irrigation.
If freezing temperatures are in the forecast, it?EUR??,,????'???s time to winterize your irrigation system. By removing water from the pipes, valves and sprinkler heads, contractors can protect systems from potentially serious damage in cold climates.
If this isn?EUR??,,????'???t done, possible problems could include cracked valves, mains freezing and bursting and backflows that cause damage. Anything that is pressurized can cause damage if winterization is not performed.
There are three common winterization techniques: manual drain valve, automatic drain valve and a compressed air blowout. It is important to remember that no matter which method you choose to remove water from the irrigation system, controller protection is also critical to the winterization process. It?EUR??,,????'???s better to keep the controller plugged in and switched to the ?EUR??,,????'??off?EUR??,,????'?? position instead of unplugging it for the winter. If left unplugged over the winter, some controllers might automatically engage once power is re-connected, which could cause problems if the system is not ready for operation.
In a properly designed system, the manual drain valve is installed at the lowest point on the system?EUR??,,????'???s mainline. Additional manual drain valves should be installed if the mainline has multiple low points where water may collect. A ball valve, gate valve, ?EUR??,,????'??Stop and Waste?EUR??,,????'?? valve or simple threaded pipe with a cap can provide drainage. It?EUR??,,????'???s important to make sure piping is properly sloped to drain. If the valve is outdoors, it should be installed over a ?EUR??,,????'??dry well?EUR??,,????'?? (underground pit filled with gravel) to drain water away from the piping.
The automatic drain valve is a spring-loaded device installed on sprinkler heads or lateral pipes. The drain valve opens every time the system is shut off and drains all water from the pipe. When the system is pressurized, water presses against the sealing mechanism, shutting the valve and allowing water to flow through the pipe and to the sprinklers.
Automatic drains should be installed after or downstream of the sprinkler control valves at the low points in the sprinkler lines. Usually one or two drains per line are adequate. The drain valves simply screw on using standard-sized pipe threads. Teflon tape wrapped two or three times around the connection ensures a proper seal. A small dry well directly beneath the drain assists with drainage for poorly draining soil.
The compressed air blowout method uses compressed air to clear water from the mainline pipe, sprinkler control valves, lateral pipes and sprinkler heads. Contractors should be advised to use extreme care when using this method to winterize the irrigation system. Excessive pressure (above 50 pounds per square inch) can damage valves or sprinkler pipes or can generate flying debris, causing physical injury to the operator. Contractors should never stand over irrigation pipes, sprinklers or valves during this process.
To obtain proper air volume, contractors should use a compressor capable of providing 10 to 25 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air volume. It is important to rent or buy the right air compressor for the job as some small shop compressors of two hp may not be adequate. However, air pressure must not exceed 50 psi during the blowout procedure. Using a pressure-regulating valve to avoid over-pressurization, contractors should keep air volume high and air pressure low to minimize the potential for damage.
Rod Waller is a Contractor Account Manager for Rain Bird Corporation in Florida.
50 ?EUR??,,????'??? PSI, measurement of air pressure that should be constant when using the ?EUR??,,????'??blow out?EUR??,,????'?? method for winterizing irrigation lines. 80 ?EUR??,,????'??? PSI, air pressure should not exceed this measurement when blowing out irrigation lines.
Source: Hunter Industries
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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