<font color=blue>STATE OF THE IRRIGATION INDUSTRY:</font> Going with the Flow

As more U.S. cities require rain and freeze sensors on irrigation systems, Phil Sheppard, irrigation trainer, Irrigation Systems Solutions, Coppell, Texas, believes it is more important for contractors to design systems with high uniformity to save water.

“Irrigation continues to thrive and the quality professional irrigators continue to get plenty of work,” he says. “However, the industry and profession is changing with water conservation issues as they continue to grow.”

New water restrictions and regulations this year have affected nearly half (46 percent) of the irrigation contractors surveyed, according to Lawn & Landscape research. The number of contractors who have seen new water restrictions implemented in their areas has increased 2 percent from 2006 and this year 4 percent of contractors say their local governments have banned water use in landscaping.
 
While not a dramatic spike, the numbers reflect an upward trend. “In our area water restrictions were very rarely heard of,” says Anthony Paola, owner of Anthony Paola Lawnsprinkler Co./Eclipse Design in Lincoln, R.I. “Now they’re as common as the weekly trash pickup.”
 
While 42 percent claim water use restrictions have not influenced their businesses, the research shows those who do business in water-restricted regions are installing 15 percent more drip irrigation systems and 12 percent more smart products.
 
The increase in water use regulations and restrictions also has affected contractor sales for residential system upgrades, replacements and new installations. The data shows 12 percent of these upgrades have been in response to increased regulations in 2007, a 3 percent increase from the previous year. With regard to commercial system upgrades in 2007, 9 percent of sales have been in response to increased regulations and restrictions, a rate remaining steady from the previous year, the data says.