7. Summary

  • Preventive maintenance enables a micro-irrigation system to operate at peak efficiency and will save water and fertilizer.
  • Routinely maintain pumps, power units, filters, valves, pressure gauges, flow meters, and field pipe/tubing/emitters.
  • Flushing the irrigation system is critical to prevent emitter plugging.
  • A plugged or scaled irrigation system requires remedial maintenance including cleaning or replacing emitters and line purging.
  • Water treatment to reduce emitter plugging potential may include chlorination, acidification, and/or injection of scale inhibitors and sequestering agents.
  • The effectiveness of water conditioning or purge chemicals should be evaluated with scale-monitoring devices or water distribution uniformity checks.