Water pressure problem is one of the commonest problems faced by farmers and gardeners who use drip irrigation system.
A typical drip irrigation system has a working pressure. If this water pressure level is not reached, the drip tapes or tubings will not drip out water effectively. For most small drip irrigation system, the working pressure for the drip tapes is 1 bar. The drip tapes burst pressure is also usually 3 – 5 bar.
This post explains the ways to use to increase water pressure in a drip irrigation system.
How to Increase Pressure in the Drip Irrigation System?
The following are the ways you can increase pressure in your drip irrigation system:
- Divide the farmland or garden into zones
- Use a higher capacity water pump
- Use fewer emitters
- Reduce the length of the drip tape laterals
- Reduce your plant population
- Reduce the number of drip laterals
- Ensure that your farmland is flat
Divide the farmland or garden into zones
If you notice that the water pressure in your drip irrigation system is low, you can divide the farmland onto zones using valves.
With the division of the farmland into zones, few drip laterals will serve each zone; this will increase the water pressure in the drip system.
Use a higher capacity water pump
A water pump with a higher Horse Power (HP) can significantly increase the pressure in a drip irrigation system. Water pump pressurizes the drip irrigation system.
Use fewer emitters
If your drip irrigation system uses removable emitters or drippers, the use of fewer drip emitters will significantly increase the pressure level in the drip irrigation system.
Reduce the length of the drip tape laterals
Reducing the length of your drip tape lateral can also go a long way in increasing the pressure in the drip irrigation system.
A drip lateral of 50 metres will have a higher pressure than a drip tape lateral of 100 metres if they both receive same water pressure.
Reduce your plant population
If you notice that the pressure level in your drip irrigation system is low, the reduction in your plant population may have a positive effect on the pressure level.
A reduction in plant population will also lead to a reduction in the number of drip tape laterals; this will increase the pressure level in the drip system.
Reduce the number of drip laterals
Imagine a case of a farmer that reduces the number of his drip laterals from 200 to 100; this will surely significantly increase the pressure level in his drip irrigation system.
The usage of a lot of drip laterals for your farm can lead to a reduction in water pressure.
Ensure that your farmland is flat
The topography of a farmland can impact the pressure level in the drip irrigation system. If your farmland has an undulating topography, pressure in your drip irrigation system may be affected. In this case, you can plough your farmland to improve the topography.
Do you have a water pressure problem in your drip irrigation system? If yes, why not contact us so that we can help you address the problem.