GUEST COLUMN: Smart Water Policy

Over the last few years, there has been much debate about how to craft policy that will stimulate the marketplace to take advantage of advanced irrigation technology and practices. The irrigation industry continues to innovate, adapt and improve our capabilities, yet we regularly see examples of inefficient use and water waste. We aren’t the only ones who see this waste. Being such a visible industry, everyone gets to see it and that can have an impact.
 
With all the gizmos and gadgets out there, it is easy to get the cart before the horse. Make no mistake, there is no substitute for proper sprinkler or emitter selection and layout, coupled with a piping framework built on sound hydraulic principles. Without covering these basics, any technological enhancement will not provide peak efficiency and, in some cases, may backfire and increase water use.

Equipment Mandates or Outcome Mandates? Without a doubt, our industry has some spectacular equipment. When we look back five, 10 or 20 years, it’s striking to see how our ability to irrigate efficiently has improved. It’s tempting to promote rules and regulations that would require us to employ all of these advancements. The problem is, who knows what the future holds? The irrigation industry will continue to innovate and the last thing any of us wants to do is stifle such innovation. As consumers, industry and policymakers are tempted to create requirements for smart controllers, rain sensors and the like, consider this: we might, and probably will, improve our tools and capabilities over time.

The lesson is, don’t paint the industry into a corner. Focus on outcome-based policy. Instead of saying things like, “all irrigation systems must have a rain sensor,” consider saying, “all irrigation systems must have furnished, installed and functional technology that inhibits, alters or interrupts irrigation cycles in periods of sufficient rainfall or moisture.” By taking a little extra time to wordsmith, you can avoid the pitfalls of closing the door to new and/or improved technology.

Leveraging Market Forces. Money is a part of every purchase decision. Economics 101 tells us that. But are we clearly communicating the real cost of an irrigation system if we don’t include the ongoing cost of operation, including the water bill? By informing consumers about the true net cost of irrigation, we can have significant influence at the time of purchase. In fact, many areas of the country employ water rate structures that increase water cost per unit as consumptive use increases. This only adds to the case for efficiency. There are many rebate programs offered to improve irrigation efficiency. Most relate to specific component upgrades. Some have been quite successful and yielded wonderful results. I think rebates in general are a great idea and have a great deal of influence in the marketplace. We have to continue to support, adapt and improve rebate programs built around the right principles.

What Lies Ahead. As has been demonstrated time after time, drought cycles will continue to repeat themselves at very inopportune times and population will continue to grow. The stress this places on water only adds to the necessity for our industry to find creative ways to provide incentives for irrigation efficiency through public policy and market enhancements. But keep in mind, the best market enhancement all of us can offer is to set a good example for water use efficiency in our day-to-day businesses. SI

Andy Smith is the Irrigation Association external affairs director.