• Test source water and irrigation water
for the three types of clogging causes
• Filter large particles or aggregates,
such as sand and clay, before letting
the water enter the emitters
• Eliminate micro-organisms by proper
disinfection and water treatment
• Prevent sedimentation of chemicals
in the irrigation system by adjusting
pH levels, monitoring solubility limits
of fertilizers and avoiding chemical
interactions between fertilizers
• Maintain the irrigation lines and emitters
by periodic flushing
Consult the table below to assess the clogging potential of drip emitters.
Constituent
“Proper chlorination and disinfection
procedures are the key to controlling biological
clogging of drip irrigation systems.”
Level of Concern
LOW
MED
HIGH
pH
< 7.0
7.0 to 8.0
> 8.0
Iron (Fe) mg/L
< 0.2
0.2 to 1.5
> 1.5
Manganese (Mn) mg/L
< 0.1
0.2 to 1.5
> 1.5
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) mg/L
< 0.2
0.2 to 1.5
> 2.0
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) mg/L
< 500
0.2 to 1.5
> 2,000
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) mg/L
< 500
50 to 100
> 100
Bacteria Count (#/ml)
< 500
10,000 to 50,000
> 50,000
In Summary
Clogging of drip emitters is a common problem with significant production and cost consequences. Fortunately, the
problem can be easily avoided by testing the raw water as
well as the irrigation water (particularly after fertilizers are
added). The analysis of the biological, chemical and particles
content of the water plays a major role in choosing appropriate prevention measures.
Guy Sela is an agronomist and a chemical engineer for his innovative software company Smart Fertilizer (smart-fertilizer.com) that provides fertilizer management solutions. Applying his background in water treatment, he has lead a variety of projects on reverse osmosis, water disinfection and water purification,
providing high quality water for irrigation.
Maximum Yield USA | February 2014
143