The terrible drought in California has made water management an even more important issue in the Western states and Phoenix, which which relies on water from the Colorado River, which also supplies Nevada and California.
But the river is down and Phoenix can’t rely on rain to make a difference – it is in the Sonoran Desert after all.
Arizona has put part of the water gathered from the Central Arizona Project underground in sort of a rainy day fund and we have about a two-year supply there. But we still need to conserve wherever possible.
Many of us enjoy gardens or greenery in our yards and property, but spraying water on it is increasingly unviable. In the summer, you can almost watch it evaporate. So other than praying for a big monsoon season, what to do?
Well, in some places underground irrigation may be the answer.
Sub Surface Drip Irrigation (SDI) uses low pressure polyurethane tubing, also known as a dripline, to release water to roots. Since the driplines are buried, water does not evaporate like it does when sprayed on the surface.
This system is really designed for large scale agriculture, but it can also work for a family garden or to water a few trees in your yard. Aside from efficiency, the big advantage is that it puts water where it’s needed.
You’ll need to mark out where your driplines will run, then dig trenches for them about 6-12 inches down. You’ll connect the lines to your water source and then bury them again. You can get a timer to turn the water on and off.
This is not an overly difficult project but it will require an investment of time and planning. And as always in Arizona, you need to be aware of overdoing it in the heat (this is an ideal project for late winter).
When you get it up and running, though, your plants will get the water they need and you won’t have to worry about wasting our most precious resource.
If you’d like to ask more questions about an SDI system, we’d be happy to talk to you about it. And if you live in the Phoenix area, we’d be happy to talk to you about all of your plumbing needs. Just give us a call!