At Ewing, we regularly share many products and practices to irrigate smarter, from soil sensors to efficient nozzles. In addition to the many water efficiency products available, from smart controllers to efficient nozzles, we are also proponents of water harvesting for irrigation. Utilizing a rainwater or grey water harvesting system reduces strain on domestic water infrastructure and groundwater reserves, while also reducing flooding and soil erosion.
While many municipalities and water providers are taking steps to implement water reuse programs, the City of Chandler, Ariz., has gone one step further to encourage independent homeowners associations to convert landscape irrigation systems and use reclaimed water.
The city is offering a loan program to help pay the up-front costs of the conversion. Since using reclaimed water over potable water saves money—from $3,500 to $25,000 annually—the programs can pay for themselves by paying the loan back with the savings on their water bill.
Unfortunately, some water harvesting systems require complex installation and operation for installers, and are difficult for end-users to manage and maintain. That creates a barrier to implementing this important technology! To promote water capture and reuse, we partnered with Munro Systems to develop a better way—the Smart Harvest System.
The Smart Harvest System uses a three-phase bottom suction submersible pump, which can be controlled by a variable frequency drive (VFD) for balanced power and system efficiency. In many applications, the VFD reduces power consumption, which means we can improve both water and energy use.
A transducer instead of the typical float-controlled system offers easy maintenance access without entering the water storage tank. An easy-to-use control panel simplifies operation and maintenance for the end user.
We recently worked with Oasis Water Harvesting to implement a rainwater harvesting system at the Pueblo del Sol Country Club in Sierra Vista, Ariz. This system harvested water from two tennis courts and the roof of a building and incorporated a 1,000-gallon underground tank, a 30,000-gallon above ground tank and two submersible pumps.
The heart of the system is the Smart Harvest System Controller, which is also linked to the existing irrigation controller. Using two submersible transducers to receive water levels from both tanks, the Smart Harvest System controls both pumps and is hard wired to a 2-inch master valve where the municipal water enters into the property in the event that there is not enough harvested water to meet the demand.
Rick Weisberg, owner of Oasis Water Harvesting, said, “The use of submersible transducer technology in rain harvesting systems is the latest in tank water level and pump control. It is located a few inches off the bottom of the tank and senses the water pressure above itself. The levels can be adjusted from the Smart Harvesting Systems Controller without having to enter the tank as in the older float switch style.”
This system is projected to harvest 144,840 gallons per year with the average of 14.2 inches of rain per year. That’s smart irrigating!