Sustainable sprinklers
By McKenna Corson Photo: Hunter Industries Inc.
Compare the industry’s sprinklers and meet new state water regulations. By operating nozzles at their ideal pressure, York
P
Increased product demand and supply
chain challenges mean contractors should plan further in the future.
40 Irrigation & Lighting Spring 2022
urchasing efficient sprinklers is an always changing process. Technology improves, land changes, water conservancy movements grow and states crack down on pressure regulation. Add record-level landscape irrigation demand
brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and buying efficient sprinklers can suddenly feel daunting and unfa- miliar.
Feeling the pressure
One of the biggest changes in sprinklers is this recent movement of replacing traditional sprinkler systems with water pressure-regulated models. Pressure-regulating sprinklers manage the water pres-
sure flowing from a sprinkler to maintain consistency throughout the overarching system. Pressure-regulating spray body sprinklers make sure the water pressure at the nozzle is either at 30 psi for standard spray nozzles or 40 to 45 psi for rotary spray nozzles, says Jack York, director of product line management at Ewing Irrigation & Land- scape Supply, Phoenix, Arizona. Sprinkler spray heads that run with a pressure above 45 to 50 psi run into fogging issues, where the water is misted into the air and doesn’t reach the intended plant material.
says sprinklers produce consistent water application for healthier lawns, last longer and use less water than non- pressure-regulating sprinklers in most applications. “Tis leads to water bill savings for the property owner,
a huge benefit to using these pressure-regulating sprin- klers,” York says. States across the U.S. are enacting pressure regula-
tion requirements for irrigation spray bodies to maximize water-use efficiency. Tis means states with related legis- lation prohibit distributors and retailers from selling irri- gation equipment that doesn’t have a pressure-regulation system. “We continue to see states pass laws that require spray
sprinkler bodies contain pressure-regulating stems,” says Jessica Case, senior product manager at Rain Bird, Azusa, California. “We know (pressure regulation) saves water; it’s a technology that reduces water pressure and flow with measurable water savings.” Vermont; California; Colorado; Hawaii; Maine; Mas-
sachusetts; Washington and Washington, D.C., have all introduced pressure regulation requirements. Frank Sal- amone, marketing manager at K-Rain Manufacturing, Riviera Beach, Florida, says additional states like Rhode Island and Maine are set to join that list in 2023.
irrigationandlighting.org
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
