Conserve water and reduce costs with DIY irrigation

Instead of farmers incurring huge costs to install drain fields, French drains, or septic tanks in areas without municipal infrastructure, they can create their own multipurpose irrigation systems, says Shane Brody.

- Shane Brody.

Considering the burgeoning global human population, water will be one of the scarcest – and therefore most valuable – commodities.

On our farm, we have converted a massive old shed into a housing unit, and ‘grey’ water from the kitchen and two bathrooms has been channelled into the adjoining vegetable garden that supplies us and our employees with a variety of fruit, vegetables, and herbs.

In undertaking this water conservation project, I used 40mm PVC plumbing piping that exits the building and has been laid/buried just under the surface of the garden beds. Pipes, which will eventually be hidden from view, irrigate the soil via 6mm holes drilled at intervals of 10cm to 15cm.

A wood or steel drill bit works quite well. Take care when drilling to avoid injury.

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

The pipes are not level but lie at a slight rather than steep gradient; obviously, in the direction that you want the water to flow and to irrigate. If too steep, the water runs too rapidly through the piping and dams at the lowest end.

I block the ends of the pipes to keep the water in them and perpetually exiting through the drilled holes that should face downwards. A few holes can also be drilled along the top of the piping at intervals of about 60cm to help break the vacuum.