Quarterly Publication of Irrigation Australia (WA Region)
NO. 61 WINTER 2020
IN THIS ISSUE Centennial Park Sporting Precinct
Complex cultural site upgrade
Department tracking rainfall and streamflow for 2020 Irrigation Rebate Wrap Up
Local governments leading the way towards a Waterwise WA
Modelling Western Australia’s water demand and supplies
12 steps to a Smart City Upcycled irrigation cabinets for fertigation
Ord River irrigators’ water dispute upheld
Urban heat in the spotlight of new video series Overflowwater - Winter 2020 1 data-driven management More crop per drop:The
Trees for urban areas and the soil to use
Contents
Keep up-to-date with irrigation in Australia, visit the IAL website at www.irrigationaustralia.com.au
Centennial Park Sporting Precinct
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Department tracking rainfall and streamflow for 2020
10
Irrigation Rebate Wrap Up
12
Modelling Western Australia’s water demand and supplies
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Ord River irrigators’ water dispute upheld
16
Trees for urban areas and the soil to use
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Complex cultural site upgrade
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Local governments leading the way towards a Waterwise WA
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12 steps to a Smart City
30
Upcycled irrigation cabinets for fertigation
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Urban heat in the spotlight of new video series
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More crop per drop: data-driven water management in Manjimup
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Cover: Kununurra Diversion Dam built in 1959 to supply water to the Ord River Irrigation Area. See article on page16. The Overflow is the quarterly publication of Irrigation Australia (WA Region). Articles published are views expressed by the authors. IAL(WA) is not responsible for their accuracy and disclaims any liability which may arise from any person acting on the materials contained within. Editorial content does not necessarily represent the views or policy of Irrigation Australia (WA Region)
Publisher/Editor: IAL WA REGION, PO Box 61, Victoria Park, WA 6979 Tel (08) 9368 3136
National Contacts Bryan Ward - Chief Executive Officer Geoff Harvey - National Training & Marketing Manager Marike Froneman - Accountant (part time) Andres Jaramillo - Training and Certification Officer Chris Delphin - Business Administration Manager Kahla McKinless - Training & Certification Assistant Tracy Martin-National Membership & Regions Manager
Mark Your Diary August 4-5 Introduction to Irrigation – Urban 4-6 Meter Installation & Validation (incl Certification) 5 Certificate III in Irrigation Technology – Aug intake 18-20 IRRICAD Design 20 Ozone Reserve Member Breakfast 25-27 IRRICAD Design September 1-3 Meter Installation & Validation (incl Certification) 15-16 Irrigation Pumps & Systems 15-18 Urban Irrigation Design 17 Certificate III in Irrigation Technology – Sept intake 22-24 Meter Installation & Validation (incl Certification) 29 Irrigation Installer Course – Sept intake (incl Certification) October 20 IAL WA Region – Annual Regional Meeting For further information please visit: www.irrigationaustralia.com.au/training/training
WA Contacts bryan.ward@irrigation.org.au geoff.harvey@irrigation.org.au marike.froneman@irrigation.org.au andres.jaramillo@irrigation.org.au chris.delphin@irrigation.org.au kahla.mckinless@irrigation.org.au tracy.martin@irrigation.org.au
Rebecca New – IALWA Administration Support (08) 9368 3136 email: adminsupport@irrigation.org.au Ellen Slobe – IAL WA Projects Officer (08) 9368 3136 Mobile: 0458 291 643 email: ellen.slobe@irrigation.org.au
Authorised sprinkler testing signs If you are testing a system outside of water rostering hours, as a gardening industry professional, you are not required to register for an exemption with the Water Corporation. However, to promote that you are doing authorized work and avoid a possible infringement, you might like to have a sign clearly displayed at the front of the property. These signs are available from the IAL (WA). Now available in: Corflute ($20) special reduced price
and Magnetic ($75) GST Exclusive. All signs approximately 400mm x 300mm. To download the order form please click here.
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The Overflow - Winter 2020
Chairmans Report
From the CEO Bryan Ward
Clinton Hort
I trust this edition of the Overflow finds all of our readers and members safe and well. It has certainly been an interesting last 3 months within our industry, full of change. Some change has been for the better of the industry, and some not so. Our WA IAL staff like most people have had several months of working remotely, it appears though that many staff across industry (including IAL’s WA staff) will have resumed work in their various offices and premises, and operations are returning back to normal, or as close to normal as we might achieve in this new version of normal. We are very fortunate with Western Australia appearing to be in a good position with restrictions easing to near normal levels, however, many companies are continuing to be vigilant in social distancing measures which has changed the face of our industry. With reduced face-to-face contact, reduced travel, and a focus on core business outcomes, the industry appears to have become more efficient across the board. The Western Australian committee has continued to meet via virtual means over the course of the pandemic. The dedicated representatives who volunteer their time on these committees are based in various locations across Perth and regional WA, it has not been easy, but our commitment to helping build a better industry has remained. I would like to thank all of our committee members for their ongoing commitment to the industry over the last number of months. I hope you enjoy the articles within this edition of The Overflow, and I thank the continued support of our sponsors and partners that allow us to do what we can. Clinton Hort IAL (WA) Industry Chairman
There is little doubt that COVID-19 has tested the resiliency of our society, economy and industry in general however many of our members report that business conditions in the irrigation sector remain positive however we have seen from recent events in Victoria and overseas that the end to this pandemic seems some time away. Social distancing and the use of face masks when social distancing cannot be practiced are sensible measures designed to protect both the health of the public and employees who are required to interface with the public. At the time of writing Western Australia’s COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed even further to a nearly-complete removal of all restrictions and we hope that this continues to be the case. Irrigation Australia has received a pleasing response from industry to the new trade in irrigation to be recognised as an Irrigation Technician. This new Certificate III course (AHC32519) of 22 competencies can be completed in four blocks of learning and currently blocks 1 & 2 are being delivered online. Payment for this course can be made on a block by block basis and our training team are able to work with employers and students to find a schedule that accommodates this online learning. If you are interested please contact our office on 1300 949 891 or email training@irrigation.org.au for further information.
The decision to extend the Waterwise program to the south-west of the state has been well received in areas such as Busselton and Bunbury and we encourage interested members of the Waterwise Irrigation Design Shop and the Waterwise Garden Irrigator Program to visit our new website at www.waterwiseprograms.com.au or speak with Tracy, Ellen or Rebecca at our Perth office on 08 9368 3136. The Waterwise irrigation programs in Western Australia are an initiative to optimise the wateruse efficiency of garden watering systems in and are run in partnership between Irrigation Australia and WA water utilities; Water Corporation, Busselton Water and AqWest. Irrigation Australia’s AGM will be held on October 29th by teleconference and we encourage as many members as possible to attend and ensure that your feedback and opinions are heard. This year there will be six vacancies to fill on the Irrigation Australia Board, the additional position is a result of the resignation of Director Peter Weaver earlier in the year due to a change in career. If you are interested in a position on the peak national industry body then please make contact with Chris Delphin, Company Secretary at chris.delphin@irrigation.org.au and she will explain the process. Please stay safe. Bryan Ward Chief Executive Officer
We have been very pleased with the acceptance of the new digital format for both the Overflow and the Irrigation Journal and the circulation of both magazines has significantly increased with extra functionality including the ability to click-through on links. These additional benefits make the magazines a much more attractive option for advertisers who can now get analytical information that was otherwise unavailable in the old format.
The Overflow - Winter 2020
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Regional Update Tracy Martin - National Membership & Regions Manager and Ellen Slobe - WA Projects Officer
Dear Members, Industry Colleagues and Interested Parties, Welcome to the Winter issue of our WA publication.
Member events
Whilst some areas of our country are experiencing restrictions due to outbreaks of Covid-19, WA is fortunate enough to be resuming to some sort of normality. This has enabled us to recommence discussions about member events. We will be hosting our next member breakfast event on 20th August at City of Perth - Ozone Reserve, where we will talk about the City’s irrigation network, recent projects for water security, water quality and water efficiency; the supply and installation of the groundwater filtration system (40LPS); the supply of the Rainman irrigation central control system as well as talking about the installation and commissioning of the Rainman irrigation central control system to 104 locations across the City of Perth. Places are limited, so ensure you register early The WA office is busy identifying other suitable sites for hosting member events and will issue members with invitations to these as they are finalised.
Membership
Whilst memberships are now based on an anniversary date, for historical reasons we have a large number of members renewing in June and it is pleasing to see a positive renewal rate and members continuing to support the Association. Board & management are conducting a review of membership benefits and if approved by the board we will begin a period of consultation
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installation, setup, programming and troubleshooting of the smart controller products. All Waterwise members have been enrolled and encouraged to complete any, and all tutorials relevant to their business.
which could involve focus groups with members from the entire supply chain to gauge feedback on the proposal. It is important that as an Association we continue to provide value and identify our members needs and deliver on these whenever possible.
These cooler months during the Winter Sprinkler Switch-off is an excellent time to undertake these activities. If any other IAL members not participating in the Waterwise Irrigation Programs would like to have their staff enrolled into these modules (e.g. as part of a new staff member’s induction) simply contact the WA office to arrange.
Training
The training department has done an excellent job of transitioning as much training as possible into the virtual realm, with several intakes of the certificate III in Irrigation Technology (trade level) course scheduled as well as various shorter courses (some new). See the training page on page 13 to see the suite available, simply click on a course heading to visit the website for further details and registration.
Additionally, the Waterwise SubCommittee and IAL office have been working on several educational resources to increase water literacy and irrigation education in the community.
The virtual training over the past 3 months has been extremely popular by Your guide to A WATER EFFICIENT GARDEN permitting those in WA Edition remote locations the ability to attend training from the comfort of their home/office.
A digital booklet, titled the “Guide to a Water Efficient Garden” has been developed The Water Cycle and will be released and promoted to the community in the lead-up to Spring 2020. This will be a great tool for IAL to promote the Waterwise members to the community, as well as an additional resource in members’ handover processes or providing advice to potential customers.
Drought and water restrictions in many parts of Australia have shown us that water is a scarce and precious resource. Many gardeners have found to their surprise that their plants survived, even thrived, despite receiving less water due to restrictions. In other words, most gardens are regularly over-watered. Just because water restrictions permit watering at a certain time doesn’t mean you need to water. And even where there are no restrictions we should all be doing our best to conserve water. Reducing the water you give your plants will also save your time, effort and money and you will still have a healthy garden.
Rain
Transpiration
Water irrigation
Runoff
Waterwise
Mulch
Soil
The members of the Waterwise Irrigation Programs now have several options to complete the required professional development task to ensure they are eligible for reendorsement.
Drainage
Root zone approx 30cm
The diagram above shows that water is added to the soil through rain or irrigation. It is lost from the soil surface through evaporation and is transpired through the leaves of plants as they grow naturally. Water can also run off the surface and drain through the soil.
The challenge is to manage water applications so that there is just enough water in the root zone for your plants to stay healthy.
Plants draw water from the soil where their roots grow. If you overfill the soil, water will be wasted through runoff or by draining below the root zone. Additionally, too much water will result in a waterlogged soil that can cause root rot and disease that kill plants. If the soil dries out for long periods or too often it can become water repellent and your plants could wilt and die.
• •
Important steps in creating a healthy landscape that uses less water are:
• •
Understanding your soil type. Improving the soil so that water infiltrates and is held effectively. Understanding when and how to supplement natural rainfall only when necessary. Installing a professionally designed, wellmaintained irrigation system.
Topics covered:
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The water cycle The importance of soil Upgrade your irrigation system Installing you system
Online video tutorials and accompanying online quizzes in IAL’s training platform have been developed in conjunction with the suppliers of the irrigation products included in the Water Corporation’s Weather Smart Irrigation Rebate. The videos cover
The Overflow - Winter 2020
Evaporation
Flow & pressure When to water Sprinkler run times Do’s & Don’t’s
Watering new lawns & gardens Hidden leaks Irrigation System Checklist Do you need help
The uncertainty surrounding face-toface community events has also led to the development of online video resources based on the community workshops run by Irrigation Australia in September 2019. These will also be released and promoted in the coming months prior to Spring.
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Centennial Park Sporting Precinct Article by the City of Albany
Over a 3 year period from 2016 the City of Albany upgraded and redeveloped its 45ha Centennial Park sporting precinct. The City aimed to create a high-quality playing surface for year round use with surrounding facilities to attract WAFL games and AFL pre-season matches. The stadium and sporting fields were part of the $34 million redevelopment of Albany’s Centennial Park Sporting Precinct. The stadium features a 442-seat grandstand, while the field size meets AFL specifications and features WAFLgrade lighting. The precinct redevelopment comprised 3 main areas: The western precinct, the junior football ovals and the main AFL stadium ovals (2 training ovals & 1 main stadium oval).
The Western Precinct
The Western precinct consists of 3 ovals with turf cricket wickets, an athletic track and a winter overlay of soccer pitches. The area was irrigated in the early 1990s using Hunter i31 / i25 rotors using #15 grey nozzles with a row spacing of 18 m and a sprinkler
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spacing of 20m using a triangle plan. The uniformity was adequate, and an improvement over the travelling irrigator that had been used up to this point. The 48 station multi wire system utilized a second controller to operate the turf wicket irrigation. The “Centennial park sporting precinct” redevelopment saw the total upgrade of over half of this western area from the drainage layer up to and including new kikuyu roll on turf. The irrigation was designed by “Hydroplan” and installed by “Horizon West Landscape & Irrigation”. The new system saw the installation of a new pump station using 2 x Lowara 66SV4/2 vertical multistage pumps with variable frequency drive Hydrovar’s fitted to each drawing from 2 x 230kL Heritage tanks. A third tank has since been added, increasing water storage. Water is sourced from 13 shallow low yielding bores each fitted with a Lowara 4GS05 submersible pump. A 200mm PN 12.5 poly main was installed through the center of the western precinct adjacent to a new cycle/walking path connecting to the pump station that services the main AFL football stadium. Isolation valves
The Overflow - Winter 2020
Above: The 2 x Lowara 66SV4/2 vertical multistage pumps
installed along the main are used to separate the systems, however, if required water can be pumped across all precincts using either pump stations. A 160mm PN 12.5 poly main was used as a ring main on the redeveloped area and the existing 100mm PVC main on the remaining fields was also interconnected.
A Hunter ACC-99D controller was installed and connected to the City of Albany’s existing IMMS 4 central system. The redevelopment saw the system grow to a total of 78 stations. Sprinkler row & spacing in the new area is now 15.5m square spacing and all Hunter i25 rotors are fitted with #18 red nozzles operating at around 450kpa nozzle pressure.
The Junior football Precinct
Above: Pump controls in the Western precinct
Above: The Western precinct under construction
The junior football irrigation system required partial redevelopment due to a new clubroom building and redevelopment of the parking facilities being constructed over the existing bores, tank and pump station. This project was undertaken in-house by City of Albany irrigation staff and involved the relocation of an existing 120Kl Heritage water tank, a new 250Kl Heritage water tank, new Lowara 46SV04/2 vertical multistage pump including Hydrovar, 5 new bores and connection to 2 existing bores and all associated mainlines.
Above: Pump and controls in the Junior football precinct
The Overflow - Winter 2020
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The existing Hunter ACC-99D controller (IMMS 4 central linked) was relocated to the new pump house and incorporated a new electrical switch board housing all bore and irrigation pump controls. All electrical controls and bore field wiring for this project were completed by local electrical company J & S Castlehow, including the installation of a Maxon Smartmax telemetry modem used to send SMS’s to the irrigation team in the case of any faults. Similar units are installed on all 3 Centennial Park pump stations. This system now comprises 30 stations using Hunter i25 rotors with #18 Red nozzles operating at around 350kpa nozzle pressure.
Above and top right: Aerial done images of the stadium (photos courtesy Hunter Industries).
Main stadium Precinct
This area is the City’s main AFL football precinct and is made up of an AFL standard oval, 442-seat grandstand, clubrooms for home and away teams, WAFL grade lighting and bunded grass parking for in-car game viewing. Two AFL training ovals are also located in this area, one of which shares with a hard cricket wicket. This entire precinct was also redeveloped from the drainage layer up to and including new kikuyu roll on turf, the area had used a traveling irrigator for irrigation and had long suffered with poor to no drainage and water logging during the winter months. The project aimed to increase the drainage throughout the active sporting surfaces combined with a uniform irrigation coverage to ensure the ground could be maintained
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throughout the playing season to WAFL standards. The existing pump station received an upgrade with a complete electrical rewire and the incorporation of Vacon Variable Frequency drives for both the Grundfos CR60/60 and Cr32/5 vertical multistage pumps. An Arkal 150mm self-cleaning filter is located in the pump house and water is drawn from a man-made and recently upgraded lake that collects water from 4 bores and storm water catchment. With significant iron content in the bore water the lake was considered the most effective means of “dropping out” the iron content to minimize any effect on the irrigation system. The lake level is maintained approximately 250mm below overflow level to maximize any storm event while also being used by local model radio yacht clubs. The irrigation was designed by “Hydroplan” and the main oval irrigation and 200mm mains installed by “Horizon West Landscape & Irrigation”. The irrigation for the 2 training ovals and associated mains were installed by Thinkwater Perth. The stadium ovals are connected via a 200mm PN 12.5 poly main and 160mm PN 12.5 poly ring mains. The system is controlled by a Hunter ACC-99D controller (IMMS 4 central linked) and operates 66 stations. Sprinkler row & spacing is 15.5m square spacing and all Hunter i25 rotors are fitted with #18 Red nozzles operating at around 400kpa nozzle pressure. Passive areas around precinct are irrigated using Hunter PGP’s and Hunter pro sprays.
The Overflow - Winter 2020
Another existing AFL football oval and a multi-use oval with their own irrigation systems completes the Centennial Park sporting precinct.
Conclusion
The City of Albany sporting precinct is now a vibrant area boasting new clubrooms, walking / cycling paths, passive areas and playing surfaces that have seen WAFL and AFL preseason games played. With over 1500 sprinkler heads, 200 valves, 6800m of mainline, 28 bores and 5 pump stations the City’s irrigation network has increased significantly. The resulting systems have delivered an efficient and effective coverage.
Above: Stadium pump shed CR60 & CR32
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Department tracking rainfall and streamflow for 2020 New data from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) has shown a late start to streamflow at many sites following good May rainfall across most of the South West land division. Despite the average to above average rainfall, streamflow was below average for most sites during May and also for the year to date. This follows on from dry conditions experienced across the South West of the state in 2019. Streamflow data for May showed that 58 per cent of sites recorded well below average flow and 21 per cent below average flow, with only the sites at Wilyabrup Brook, Margaret River and Lort River recording average streamflow for May and the year to date. The Denmark River gauging station recorded its first flow at the start of June. This is the first time the site has recorded no streamflow in the first five months of the year since records began.
Sites on the Swan River and Thomson Brook also recorded no streamflow until the start of June, and the Frankland River gauge recorded its lowest reading for January to May since 1975. In total five sites recorded their lowest January to May streamflow totals and only Margaret River, Wilyabrup Brook and Lort River recorded average streamflow for the period.
DWER measurement at Roe Highway on the Helena River.
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The Overflow - Winter 2020
DWER tracks rainfall at 36 sites and streamflow at 19 sites across the South West of the state and the data for May shows average to above average rainfall at 34 of the sites (56 per cent recorded average levels and 39 per cent recorded above average levels). For the year to date (January to May) two thirds of the sites recorded average rainfall with the Kent River and
Officers doing a dischargement measurement on the Blackwood river.
Cowaramup sites recording well above average, five sites (including Denmark and Pemberton) recording above average rainfall and a further five sites (including Esperance, Gingin Brook and Geraldton) recording below average rainfall. Looking ahead to the likely rainfalls for the winter, using combined data from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) for June to August, the outlook indicates below average to above average winter rainfall over the South West of the state, with a higher probability of below average rainfall for the northerly and easterly areas.
Mt Frankland Rock Bar stream
For the majority of the South West the latest BoM outlook indicates a 45-65 per cent chance of exceeding median rainfall for August to October. Streamflow forecasts indicate streamflow for June to August has a greater tendency to be below average throughout the South West of the state. The impact of climate change on water supplies is a significant issue for the state’s South West region, one of the most-affected places in the world in terms of reduced rainfall. Measuring rainfall and streamflow is essential for DWER to be able to assess and advise on how to best manage the region’s water resources.
Looking at the city of Perth, from January 1 to June 30 the rainfall measurement at the Perth Airport gauge shows 271mm, slightly lower than the average Jan-June rainfalls since 1975 of 300mm. Recharge to the Gnangara groundwater system started in April,
with water level rises recorded across the superficial aquifer for the month of May. For more information on how the department manages Western Australia’s water resources visit https://www.dwer.wa.gov.au/water.
The Overflow - Winter 2020
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By Neil Lantzke
Irrigation Rebate Wrap Up Last October Water Corporation launched the Weather Smart Irrigation Rebate at the Waterwise Irrigation Expo. The program offered customers a $200 rebate for the purchase and programming of a weather smart irrigation controller. With the support and outstanding customer service of 56 participating Waterwise Garden Irrigators, almost 400 Perth customers were able to take up the offer. “There are still huge savings to be made on outdoor water use,” said Program Manager Helen Gigney. “Weather based irrigation systems that automatically adjust watering in response to local weather conditions can save a lot of water in Perth, so we’ve encouraged as many customers as possible, particularly those with
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higher than average water use, to take up the offer. “By converting an existing controller or installing a new weather based one; some households are able to reduce their water use by up to 15%, while maintaining a healthy garden, even on a big suburban block.” Customers from all over the metro area claimed the rebate, purchasing products and services from a wide range of Waterwise Garden irrigators and Waterwise Irrigation Design Shops. “The program has been a really positive experience for us and our customers,” said Waterwise Irrigation Design Shop owner and Waterwise Garden Irrigator Jason Rothery. “For customers, they’re able to purchase a really modern, water
The Overflow - Winter 2020
efficient product at a very affordable price. And for us, we’re able to start that conversation about water efficiency and see where else we might be able to help the customer with their garden, whether it’s with additional advice or a new sprinkler system. “With the installation and programming of the irrigation controller now included in the rebate, we’ve been able to provide a better service. When we see the customer’s garden we can show them exactly how to use all the settings, and get the most out of their purchase.” Water Corporation has been running Waterwise offers around WA for more than 10 years. To see offers that might be of interest to you and your business, keep an eye on our Waterwise offers page.
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AUGUST 04/08/20 - 05/08/20 Introduction to Irrigation - Urban 04/08/20 - 06/08/20 Meter Installation & Validation (includes Certification) 05/08/2020
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Modelling Western Australia’s water demand and supplies Estimating future demand and resource availability to 2060 By Daniel Ferguson | First published in Water e-Journal Vol 5 No 1 2020
Abstract
Sustained growth of Western Australia’s economy and population brought about a doubling of the state’s water use in the thirty years following 1985. Over the same period climate change intensified in the state’s south-west land division causing historically low inflows to dams and recharge to aquifers that comprised the region’s water supplies. In response, the Western Australian Government invested in large-scale seawater desalination and wastewater recycling to augment the Perth Integrated Water Supply Scheme, which supplies drinking water to the majority of the state’s population. The situation also prompted Government and industry to initiate coordinated, long-term planning of the water resources and supplies that were needed for sustainable economic growth across Western Australia. In carrying out long-term water supply planning the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation developed the ‘Water Supply and Demand Model’ (WSDM) to estimate the future demand and availability of the state’s groundwater and surface water resources to 2060. The WSDM uses growth rates from computable general equilibrium modelling of Western Australia’s economy and population forecasts to project the future water demand of all water usages and resources across the state. To test the validity of WSDM results, a comparison of water demand projections and actual water abstraction since 2008 was undertaken. The evaluation showed that modelled growth rates for industry output, gross value added, employment and
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population are suitable indicators for projecting the long-term water demand trends of different water usages. It also found that consulting across government and industry was important
The Overflow - Winter 2020
for identifying ‘trend-breaking’ growth scenarios and aligning the model results with established land use plans, development proposals and water efficiency initiatives.
development. The planning would identify shortfalls in groundwater and surface water so alternative and cost-effective water supplies could be determined ahead of time. To model plausible scenarios of future water demand, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation developed the ‘Water Supply-Demand Model’ (WSDM) and engaged industry experts to analyse and refine the model results. The WSDM projects demand for all water uses and resources in Western Australia using economic data from computable general equilibrium modelling and population forecasts to 2060. The econometric principles used in the WSDM were first applied in the ‘Demand Scenario Modelling Tool’ developed by the Department and Resource Economics Unit in 2006. The demand scenario modelling tool used economic trend data from the Monash TERM (The Enormous Regional Model) for the period from 2008 Western Australia’s total water demand is projected to grow to 3600 GL (average annual growth rate of 1.8%) by 2050 under a medium growth scenario. This is lower than the average growth in water demand of 2.8% per year between 1985 and 2015. The highest long-term projected growth in water demand is expected to be for irrigated agriculture and mining in the state’s northern regions.
that are needed to support Western Australia’s future economic and population growth.
In southern Western Australia, the availability of groundwater and surface water resources is limited and will not meet the estimated water demand for urban expansion and increased food production, so increased water efficiency and alternative water sources are needed.
Introduction
Sharing data and knowledge is fundamental to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s stewardship of Western Australia’s water and environmental systems. The WSDM program provides relevant, transparent and credible information about the water resources and supplies
Increasing awareness and knowledge about the state’s water challenges and opportunities is expected to help deliver the actions needed to maintain economic growth and urban liveability with limited water resources in a drying climate. Continued investment in Western Australia’s mineral resources over the past decade has driven high growth in demand for water resources, particularly in the north of the state. During the same period, low inflow to dams and recharge to aquifers reduced the water available for potable and non-potable use in the more densely populated south-west of Western Australia. The situation prompted government and industry to call for coordinated, long-term water supply planning to support the state’s sustainable
to 2030. [The] paper examines the water demand forecasting method, key elements of future projections and how the model development and outputs have supported the setting of strategic directions for Western Australia’s water resources and supplies. To download full paper, please visit: https://watersource.awa.asn.au/ environment/natural-environment/ modelling-western-australias-waterdemand-and-supplies/
About the Author Dan Ferguson is a Principal Water Planner for Western Australia’s Department of Water and Environmental Regulation specialising in demand management and water supply planning.
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Ord River irrigators’ water dispute upheld By Jeremy Fisher, Kingfisher Law
After five years’ litigation, the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia has renewed Ord Irrigation Co-operative’s (OIC’s) water licence at the historic annual level of 335 gigalitres, without reduction. The case has wide implications for water licensing in Western Australia, including for: • procedure in the Tribunal’s review jurisdiction;
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• application of statutory provisions for renewal of licenses under the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914 (WA) (RiWI Act); • calculation of water entitlements attached to licences; and • the application of water management plans and recoupment policies.
The water licence decision
On 26 June 2020, the Tribunal delivered its decision in Ord Irrigation
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Co-operative v Department of Water and Environmental Regulation [2020] WASAT 68. Under WA legislation, an affected person has the right to seek a Tribunal review of many government decisions including, in OIC’s case, water licence renewal. In such proceedings, the Tribunal is required to review the government decision and make a fresh ‘correct and preferable’ decision on the merits of the case. This approach was not followed by the Tribunal when it first heard OIC’s
case in 2016 and the Court of Appeal ordered the matter be heard again. In the case now decided, after hearing evidence from witnesses for OIC and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (the Department) the Tribunal has concluded that OIC is entitled to more than 335 gigalitres per year. However, taking into account OIC’s submissions that farmers do not wish to increase, but only to maintain the amount of the licence, the Tribunal has ordered that the correct and preferable decision is to set the licence amount at 335 gigalitres for the next 10 years, effective from the date of the decision.
Background to the decision
OIC is a Water Services Provider (WSP) for Stage 1 of the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) under the Water Services Act 2012 (WA) (WSA) and is licensed to provide irrigation water to farmers. In WA, a person diverting water from a water source, including a WSP, must hold a separate licence under the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914 (WA) (RiWI). OIC has held a RiWI licence for 335 gigalitres since 2004 and the licence was last renewed in 2010. In 2015, the Department again renewed OIC’s licence, but sought to impose a reduction of 110 gigalitres per year. Consistent with its view that the Department did not well understand
irrigation in the ORIA, OIC applied for review in the Tribunal and obtained a stay of the Department’s decision, legally maintaining OIC’s RiWI licence at 335 gigalitres per year pending finalisation of the Tribunal review.
licence to the figure proposed by the Department, on the basis that OIC had failed to discharge a legal onus of proof to persuade the Tribunal that the reduced licence limit asserted by the Department should not stand.
OIC’s case before the Tribunal, unchanged throughout all the proceedings, was that viable irrigated agriculture in Stage 1 of the ORIA depends on certainty of availability of 335 gigalitres of water per year. Within that allocation, OIC also claimed the right to retain water representing gains in efficiency achieved through investment of approximately $4.05 million of farmers’ funds in improvements to the channel system, commissioned in 2008. These improvements included conversion from the 1960s original, manually operated total-loss system to a partially automated closed system.
OIC applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal the Tribunal’s decision, arguing that the Tribunal had not conducted the case in the manner required for review of water licences under WA law. The Court of Appeal granted leave and heard the appeal case in May 2018.
However, the Department asserted that it was entitled to ‘recoup’ water from OIC’s license in circumstances where OIC had not diverted from storage all of its licensed allocation of 335 gigalitres. The case was first heard in November 2016 over 4 days in Perth, after the Tribunal refused OIC’s application to have the matter heard in Kununurra. The Tribunal reserved its decision and extended delivery of its decision several times before issuing a decision in mid-2017 reducing OIC’s
The Department contested the appeal case. However, the Court of Appeal found in favour of OIC and remitted the matter for re-hearing in a ‘differently constituted’ Tribunal, before different judges.
The Tribunal’s review jurisdiction In examining the questions of law raised by OIC, the Court of Appeal concluded that the Tribunal had conducted the initial case incorrectly and that:
The Tribunal’s misunderstanding as to onus involved a failure to exercise the jurisdiction entrusted to it by Parliament. (Ord Irrigation Cooperative Ltd v Department of Water [2018] WASCA 83 at [127]). The Court found that the Tribunal’s mistake had the effect of denying OIC
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the review OIC was legally entitled to when it first applied for review of the Department’s decision in 2015 [at 127]. The proper approach, which was not followed in the first Tribunal hearing, was for the Tribunal to consider the material before it and form its own view as to an appropriate annual water entitlement to be included in the licence, having regard to the considerations identified in cl 7(2) of Schedule 1 of the RiWI Act [at 124].
Licence renewal and entitlement reduction
Following the Court of Appeal decision, it is clear that in WA a licence to take water may be reduced at the time of licence renewal. If a licence is to be renewed, the Minister or delegate, or the Tribunal reviewing such a decision, has the power under cl 15(1) Sch 1 RiWI Act to determine what terms, conditions and restrictions are to be included in the licence – such as a limit on the amount of water a licensee may take in any year. It is at the decision maker’s discretion what the decision maker considers and takes into account, however, the decision maker must have regard to the mandatory
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relevant considerations referred to in cl 7(2) Sch 1.
Calculation of water licences
In making its new decision, the Tribunal has approached the matter consistently with the Court of Appeal ruling. As one of the mandatory relevant considerations in cl 7(2), the policy document known as the Ord Surface Water Allocation Plan (OSWAP) has been taken into consideration. OSWAP refers to water entitlements matching ‘justified crop needs and efficient water use for the area under irrigation’. Accordingly, the Tribunal heard evidence from OIC and the Department concerning likely crop mix and crop water requirements looking ahead to 2029. By ascertaining crop types, areas to be irrigated, crop water requirements and irrigation efficiency, the Tribunal held that it is possible to derive a figure for annual water entitlement under OIC’s RiWI licence. Both parties agreed with this method, but differed on the relevant numbers in each category of variable. After intensive examination of witnesses,
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the Tribunal preferred the evidence of OIC’s experts. Further, in its reasons for decision, the Tribunal adopted the 10-year crop projection prepared by OIC, which takes into account market factors and emerging trends in crop mix, rejecting the tabulation advocated by the Department, which restricted crop mix by reference to past planting figures. The approach taken by the Tribunal to identifying justified water needs sets a precedent for the determination of water entitlement in future OIC licences. Significantly, the approach is also a precedent for other water licensing decisions in WA, demonstrating clearly that the licence decision maker may take into account the future of a development project dependent on a water licence, as well as the past performance of a licence holder. Having determined the method and outcome of calculating justified crop needs and efficient water use for the area under irrigation, the Tribunal considered the mandatory matters in cl 7(2). Those matters include impact
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on other water users. On the evidence presented by the Department and OIC, the Tribunal concluded that there is: not likely to be any alternative or competing user for any part of this annual water entitlement over the 10 year term of the licence and there is sufficient water within the 750 GL per year allocation limit for the Main Ord subarea to enable such development in the Ord East Kimberley Expansion Project as is likely to occur over the next 10 years [at 313].
Management plans and recoupment policies
Also central to the Department’s argument for reducing OIC’s water entitlement was the OSWAP policy enabling recoupment of ‘unused’ water from a licensee. This policy states that the Department will recoup (take away) water from a licence at the time of licence renewal, if the licensee has never used the water, or has not used all of its entitlement in two years consecutive years. In OIC’s case, the Tribunal found that the historical amount of water diverted by OIC in certain periods was less than the full licenced entitlement. However, the Tribunal held that there were three cogent reasons for departing from the recoupment policy.
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Firstly, having established that the appropriate amount of water for OIC’s licence was more than 335 gigalitres per year looking ahead to 2029, applying the recoupment policy and taking away a volume of water representing past underutilisation would conflict with the overarching policy objective of the OSWAP to ‘match justified crop needs and efficient water use for the area under irrigation’. Secondly, crop mix in the ORIA is volatile and ‘historical water use over the last 10 years is an extremely poor measure of future water needs’. The ORIA continues to be in transition and future water utilisation is not constrained by past farming crop choices. Thirdly, the efficiency savings achieved by OIC through its investment of $4.05 million in upgrading the irrigation system predate the introduction of the OSWAP recoupment provisions. The relevant applicable policy at the time of the efficiency upgrade was Statewide Policy 11 (SP 11), which states that the Department will not recoup water saved through measures to improve efficiency. Furthermore, OIC’s demonstrated intention to use water saved for new irrigation development in the ORIA East Bank meets the expectation in SP 11 that ‘the water saved will be utilised, either through trading or expansion of the existing operation’.
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The Tribunal’s orders
Taking into account the matters summarised above, the Tribunal has ordered that: 1. The application for review is allowed. 2. Pursuant to s 29(3)(b) of the State Administrative Tribunal Act 2004 (WA), the decision made by the respondent on 14 August 2015 is varied by: (a) extending the duration of Surface Water Licence SWL156287(3) to 10 years from the date of this order; (b) specifying the annual water entitlement in Surface Water Licence SWL156287(3) as 335 GL; and (c) specifying, with effect from the date of this order, pursuant to s 29(5) (b) of the State Administrative Tribunal Act 2004 (WA), that the 'Annexure to Licence to Take Water SWL156287(3)' referred to in term, condition or restriction 3 of Surface Water Licence SWL156287(3) is the document which appears in the respondent's section 24 bundle dated 10 May 2019 (volume 2) (Exhibit 3.1) at pages 1746-1756 Jeremy Fisher, Kingfisher Law Instructing Solicitor for Ord Irrigation Co-operative Ltd jeremyfisher@kingfisherlaw.com.au
• • • •
Trees for urban areas and the soil to use Can you put a price tag on a tree? It is easy for those that sell timber for building, paper or for other targeted industries, but what is a living tree worth? When you look at all the benefits, how is it possible to put a cost on a tree? Besides supporting our wildlife, providing oxygen and clean air and stabilising soil, trees have also been proven to provide mental benefits, improving moods and acting as a calming element. Many people, including plenty of landscapers, plant trees too deep and
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this almost always results in damage to the tree (in fact, it is often a fatal mistake). This is easy to remedy if you know what to look for and how to plant correctly. No matter their container size or type, all trees need to be planted at the right depth for their root system. Read on and you can avoid one of the most common tree-planting mistakes.
How deep is too deep when planting a tree?
The measure for tree planting depth is the tree’s root flare. Sometimes called
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trunk flare or root collar, this is the area just above where the topmost roots emerge from the trunk. Confusingly, there is not always a flare here, meaning that some trunks, especially on young trees, may look like a straight cylinder. If you don’t see a flare, don’t worry. Look for the tops of roots and for the slight change in surface appearance where the bark tissue ends and root tissue begins. First, you will need to release your tree’s root ball from its container or wrapping. Gently lay the tree on its side, being sure not to damage any
Mulch is vital to help hold water in the soil, regulate soil temperature, and to suppress weed growth.
Digging the planting hole
After you have located where your tree is going to be planted, dig a round planting hole that is the depth you’ve measured on your tree, and two to three times as wide. To ensure the tree lives a full life, it is extremely important to ensure the soil in your planting area is fortified with organic matter. Mix in a good quality soil-mix into the top 10 centimetres of soil where the tree is to be planted. A mix such as Richgro Tree Planting Mix has been formulated for West Australian soils, with ingredients like fully composted organics, small percentage of clay, added wetter and Osmocote 8-9 month release.
Article by Richgro
If you have dug too deep, add a layer of soil back into the planting hole and compact it with your foot. You want a stable soil base that won’t sink and bring the tree planting level down with it.
Installing the tree
branches, and work the container or wrapping off. Do not pull the tree out by its trunk! Using your fingers or a smooth tool, scrape back the soil from the top of the root ball, untangling and arranging any small roots you disturb. When you have cleared around the circumference of the trunk and exposed the root flare, stand your tree up and measure from the root flare to the base of the root ball. (You don’t want the root system exposed, but just covered by the root ball soil.) This is the maximum depth to plant your tree. Measuring with the tree upright ensures that a loose root ball won’t compress down further after planting.
Carefully lift your tree into position in the centre of your hole (hold it by the root ball as you do this, not by the trunk). Rotate it to make sure the “front” view is right from where you will see the tree. You’ll want to choose the angle that displays the best-looking branch structure. Gently pack the backfilled soil with your foot as you fill. You don’t need to stamp hard; you just want to stabilize the backfilled soil so its level doesn’t drop and expose the root ball when you water the tree in.
Stake if needed
Tree stakes are commonly used for new trees, but they are not always necessary, but essential for windy sites as damage may occur when out on site.
Watering your new tree
In hot and arid climates, it is always a good idea to shape your backfilled soil with a rounded lip or berm just outside of the root ball. This makes a shallow, dish-like centre that encloses the root ball, and which will hold water while it percolates into the soil. Providing enough water to new trees is important, as it prevents damage to your tree from drying out. If the correct soil is used, this will hold onto necessary water and nutrients in the early stages of the tree’s life.
Mulch
Mulch is vital to help hold water in the soil, regulate soil temperature, and to suppress weed growth. Remember to regularly replenish organic mulch as it breaks down into the soil and expand your mulch ring as the tree’s crown (and root system) spreads. The amount required will depend on the size of the tree and the depth (usually 100mm) of mulch required. Again, choose a fully composted Australian Standard mulch to avoid any issues of disease and taking away the trees nutrients. Recommended tree varieties for urban areas include: 1. Frangipani white 2. Jacaranda blue 3. Japanese maple 4. Hong Kong orchid tree 5. Poinciana 6. Yellow flame tree 7. Broad leaved paperbark 8. Black genoa fig tree 9. WA Christmas tree 10. Crepe myrtle tree. These varieties can be successfully grown in Perth, most of the South West and throughout Western Australia. They are hardy and once established, need very little care and attention and encourage bird and wildlife.
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Complex cultural site upgrade By Earth & Water
The Perth Cultural Centre is located in Northbridge at the junction between the Western Australian Museum, Art Gallery of WA and the State Theatre. Earth & Water have worked in conjunction with the State Theatre Trust since 2009, when Earth & Water installed the irrigation systems at The Urban Orchard, designed by Landscape Architect Josh Byrne. The most recent changes have been towards the Museum where Deep Green Landscaping has redesigned the landscape and greened up the Museum’s entry using extensive lawns and low maintenance plants. The existing landscaping spread out across the Cultural Centre (pictured), was completed by Landscape & Maintenance Solutions. Their plant palette of hardy, low maintenance plants sit above our updated irrigation system. This combination of subsurface drip irrigation and durable plants results in lower water consumption and softening greenery throughout the year The Perth Culture Centre is large and spread out, creating some interesting challenges. The public nature of the site presented challenges including the threat of vandalism and theft of sprinkler heads. To mitigate damage, the sprinklers were changed to Hunter Industries MP1000, MP2000
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& MP3000 Rotator nozzles. These nozzles sit lower in the ground and pop up higher in extra tall pop up bodies. By sitting lower, sprinkler heads are exposed to soil and debris that could clog the nozzle but these nozzles have an in-built double pop mechanism that protects the inlet when not in use. Over the last 24 months Earth & Water have updated the underlying irrigation system that waters all garden beds and lawns and introduced a smart water controller for improved water management.
Site Parameters
The public space in the Cultural Centre is complex because it is owned by three entities including the Art Gallery, Museum and State Theatre. This introduced design and installation complexities that are rare on most commercial projects. For example, a common mainline runs through three different parts of the precinct and must be considered before making any changes to the design or layout, as it might impact on future developments that only one of the three parties are either privy to or responsible for.
A series of procedural documents are used, including: • As Constructed Irrigation Schematics • Health & Safety Plan • Irrigation Station Mapping Events & Usage The Cultural Centre is used for public events like Fringe Festival, Comedy festivals and Christmas Pageants. Lawns cannot be damp, and sprinklers cannot be run when these events are on. Therefore the design solutions include: • Flexible watering times • Low profile irrigation (out of sight and out of mind)
Smart Water Management
The Cultural Centre uses a Hunter Industries Hydrawise smart controller
to quickly and easily manage water delivery across its numerous garden beds and lawns. The Smart Controller has its own Wifi dongle allowing users to control it via the Hydrawise app. The app, available on desktops and phones provides a platform to monitor the condition of the overall system. Information such as run times, flow rate, total water consumption and water pressure is all captured in real-time. There are 19 zones spread out across the Cultural Centre. Each zone groups together garden beds and lawns with similar water requirements. This zoning method has two main functions. The first is customising the water delivery to the specific needs of the plants and lawns in each zone resulting in healthier plants and gardens. The second is to help isolate leaks and
Planning, Documentation & Safety is a foremost priority on commercial projects where there are many trades on site and effective communication is essential.
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Driplines were spaced between 300mm and 450mm depending on the type of plants. All driplines are staked down every three meters and covered with mulch. Netafim’s ASXR dripline has three important technologies that increase the system’s longevity and reliability. 1. Copper oxide lines the inside of the drip and is a root deterrent that stops [plants from growing through holes and into dripline. 2. The “anti-suck-back” feature prevents sand and soil from been sucked back into the dripper and dripline once that zone has stopped irrigating. This stops clogging
Over the last 24 months Earth & Water have updated the underlying irrigation system that waters all garden beds and lawns and introduced a smart water controller for improved water management.
blockages to smaller areas, reducing problem solving and repair time. Seasonality is programmed into the smart controller by linking to nearby weather stations. The 19 zones use predictive adjustments based on localised weather conditions to ensure gardens are not over-watered in winter and underwatered in summer. Flexibilty is important and watering times can be changed remotely so water technicians are not required to visit the site when changes need to be made to irrigation scheduling. For example, when Fringe Festival is on, the usual night watering times are not suitable. Lawns become sodden and prone to damage and sprinklers may wet the people. For the period Fringe Festival is on, watering frequency is increased but duration reduced. The result is effective irrigation that allows foot traffic to increase whilst maintaining water requirements to
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lawns and gardens beds. All this is programmed into each zone that corresponds with the area being used by Fringe Festival. This is more cost effective for the Museum and makes water management easier.
Sprinklers
Sprinklers were used as little as possible across the Cultural Centre because they are impractical for the area. Where they have been installed, Hunter Industries MP Rotators in extra tall pop-up bodies were installed well below the mulch, hidden from the public and the tall pop shaft can rise above the mulch or lawn.
Subsurface Dripline
The 15 garden beds are irrigated using Netafim’s Uniram ASXR subsurface drip line. The dripline sits out of site, 100 millimetres below the soil surface avoiding evaporation with the warmth of the day.
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3. Anti-siphon mechanism holds consistent water pressure throughout the system and prevents water from leaking when not irrigating. The anti-siphon feature was initially developed for the greenhouse industry where they irrigate for only one minute for up to 30 times per day. Before the anti-siphon diaphragm was invented the lower section of the greenhouse ended up with all the excess water and drained into the plants soil (media) causing very damp soils and fungal issues. Now with antisiphon each dripper opens and shuts under pressure at the same instant throughout the length of the dripline providing 100% emission uniformity.
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Local governments leading the way towards a Waterwise WA •
All 32 metropolitan local governments now participating in Waterwise Council Program
•
42 local governments across WA now endorsed through the program
Water Minister Dave Kelly has commended local governments for their commitment to developing sustainable, liveable communities and leading the way towards a Waterwise WA. The Western Australian Government's Waterwise Perth Action Plan sets the direction for transitioning Perth to a leading waterwise city by 2030.
assist with leak detection and access to greening scheme funding up to $10,000. The Minister extended his congratulations to the Town of East Fremantle, Shire of Peppermint Grove and City of Wanneroo for being officially endorsed as Waterwise Councils in 2020. The Town of Cottesloe, Shire of Murray, City of Wanneroo and Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale achieved Gold recognition for the first time in 2020.
Today marks a milestone towards achieving the plan's targets, with all metropolitan local governments now participating in the Waterwise Council Program.
Gold recognition is awarded for innovation and leadership in the pursuit of creating waterwise communities, with 22 metropolitan local governments achieving the standard. The Waterwise Perth Action Plan's target is for all metropolitan local governments to be recognised as Gold by 2030.
The program encourages councils to adopt waterwise principals with free education resources, data loggers to
For the cities of Melville, Kalamunda and Kwinana, 2020 marks 10 years within the Waterwise Council Program.
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To commemorate this achievement, each will be presented with a sustainable park bench, designed and made in WA. The Waterwise Council Program is a partnership between Water Corporation and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. For more information visit https://www.watercorporation.com.au/ Water Minister Dave Kelly commented: "Thank you to local governments across Western Australia for continuing to show leadership to their communities through the Waterwise Council Program. "Waterwise councils promote the valuable role of water in creating liveable, vibrant and healthy communities. "It is especially pleasing to see all metropolitan local governments now participating in the program, marking an important milestone as we move towards targets in the plan.
"I encourage all local governments across Western Australia to commit to the Waterwise Council Program. Climate change is real and local governments have an important role to play in our State's waterwise future."
WATERWISE COUNCIL PROGRAM 2020 RECOGNITIONS
Newly endorsed Waterwise Councils • Town of East Fremantle • Shire of Peppermint Grove • City of Wanneroo
Pictured (L-R): Forrestfield MLA Stephen Price, City of Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas, Water Minister Dave Kelly, Water Corporation GM Customer and Community Karen Willis and DWER Executive Director Strategy and Engagement Patrick Seares at the site of a new sustainably-designed park bench awarded to the City for 10 years’ participation in the Waterwise Council Program.
Waterwise Councils recognised for 10 years as part of the program • City of Melville • City of Kalamunda • City of Kwinana Waterwise Councils recognised as Gold for the first time in 2020 • Town of Cottesloe • Shire of Murray
Orbit B-hyve Controllers 2020_HR Products Outlines.ai 1 25/02/2020 8:01:31 AM
• City of Wanneroo • Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale Waterwise Councils recognised as a repeat Gold in 2020 • City of Bayswater (4 years) • Town of Victoria Park (4 years) • City of Vincent (4 years) • City of Kwinana (4 years) • City of Mandurah (4 years) • City of Cockburn (4 years) • City of Joondalup (4 years) • City of Perth (4 years) • City of Subiaco (4 years) • Town of Bassendean (3 years) • Town of Cambridge (3 years) • City of Canning (3 years) • City of Swan (3 years) • City of Rockingham (2 years) • City of Fremantle (2 years) • Town of Mosman Park (2 years) • City of Stirling (2 years) • Shire of Mundaring (2 years)
a
12 steps to a Smart City By Henk de Graaf, Managing Director, Industrial Automation Group, Perth
The idea of a “smart city” sounds attractive but what is it? A smart city can be described as a place which has integrated information and communication technology with control systems to manage its assets. These assets could include schools, libraries, transport systems, hospitals, power plants, water supply networks, waste management and parks and gardens. Where once the irrigation assets in urban areas were treated separately from other assets, advances in automation and communication technology now allow for irrigation management to be integrated to maximise efficiency, energy savings and productivity. As this article by Henk de Graaf explains, the challenge is to work out the most effective and costefficient way for a city to be “smart”. 1. Identify your assets. Start by looking at what type of assets contribute to the functioning of the city. Think of assets that have some sort of control or monitoring functions. That might be the air conditioning system in the main office building or chlorination systems for the local pool and the irrigation system in the city parks. Assets that are important, but which cannot be directly controlled, like trees, would not be included in your list of assets for control. 2. Locate your assets. Now that you have made a list of the type of assets, find out where they all are so you can collate data about them. Knowing where items are gets you one step closer to getting relevant and detailed information about these assets. In addition, once all items are located, they can be identified on a Google map which will help with monitoring in the future. Remember that we are trying to improve the management of your assets (see map).
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SmartCity controllers mapped as a way of improving monitoring.
3. Select all information about these assets. Data can include manufacturers’ manuals, asbuilt drawings and other similar information. It also can include pricing information and supplier details. The more information you can gather, the easier it will be for maintenance staff or sub-contractors to maintain your assets. If you have paper drawings or manuals, save them in electronic format to provide remote access by multiple people. 4. Decide what you want to monitor. When deciding what to monitor, keep in mind the financial or operational effect on the organisation. There is always a risk of information overload and if the collected information is unlikely to be used, there is no point in collecting it. On one hand, there would be no point in recording the kilometres travelled in a vehicle if it is the council’s policy to replace them every two years anyway. On the other hand, recording the energy used at sporting fields fits because better management might allow the cost to be reduced.
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5. Select how you want the monitoring to take place. Monitoring can be done manually at fixed intervals or completely automatic via sensors and data recording hardware and software. So, if all you need is total power used and not when there are peaks and troughs, you select a different sensor. Similarly, if you want to be able to determine faulty lamps in a floodlight system, you will need to monitor the current draw to each lamp or sets of lamps which is something that a kWh reading will not tell you. You can also apply this logic to an irrigation system where, for example, you might monitor it on a valve-by-valve basis. 6. Decide who will have access to the monitored data. Some information that you gather might be confidential or could have the potential to affect a person’s position in the organisation (e.g. using a company vehicle for private purposes). It is therefore important to decide beforehand who will have access to the data. You may even choose to
It is important to decide who will have access to what data. For example, only departments responsible for water management might be given access to water use figures across the city.
have a tiered access level or separate different types of data to be monitored from different departments. This could mean that the parks and gardens department gets access to irrigation systems but not to the fuel management system. 7. Find out what you can control. The next step into the transition into a smart city is to identify which items that you are monitoring can be controlled e.g. a weather station in your city will provide you with information only but a connected irrigation system will enable you to take data from that weather station to control the rate of irrigation. 8. How many levels of access do you want? The access levels to control systems normally are restricted to who has access to changing setpoints and who has access for testing purposes. You may need to make up a list of people who have access to all functions and a list of people with some sort of access restriction. Once you build up the list you automatically end up with different access levels. Try not to exceed five levels. 9. Who will be responsible for acting on faults? Once you provide automatic control systems, you need to have somebody who can act when the system is not performing as it should. A properly
designed system will provide SMS and/or email messages once a fault is detected and these can come in 24 hours a day. This means that it is important to allocate responsibility to the various alarm messages and the subsequent actions that need to be taken. Keep in mind that it is no good gathering all these fault signals if nobody is going to act upon them. 10. Find out what facility access you can improve. In all councils there are a variety of venues that require access control of some sort. This can be simply by issuing a key to the club or function organiser or by using RFID technology to provide access. Many local councils already use swipe cards for access to assets. You may want to expand that by providing gate access to tennis courts or mobile device access to floodlights at the local sporting oval.
11. How is access to be controlled? It all depends on how your city is currently charging your rate payers. Some councils may be happy to fund sporting clubs out of general revenue while others are looking to rein in costs and are considering a user pays system. If you do want to go the user-pays way, a good solution would be to introduce a pre-paid option to minimise administration cost. The access to the end users can be controlled by the council through “enable” and “disable” functions in the software. In addition, you may want certain council staff to have remote access to this in case somebody has lost their card or password just before an important night game. 12. Who will be responsible for the administration? Somebody needs to be in control of the administration and management. It is conceivable that a person from Sports and Recreation will be responsible for that, but this might fall under finance or asset management. Ultimately, the person made responsible for this should be willing to provide some after-hours support so it would be no good selecting a person that is strictly 9 to 5.
Opportunities for the future
This is an introduction to how to implement a smart city system and no doubt there are many more hurdles to overcome before a council can say that the system works. It is important that the irrigation industry be smart enough to be aware of developments in this area so it can respond to the challenges and opportunities.
As well as being able to identify when a system isn’t operating as it should, it is also essential that there be the human resources identified to be able to respond.
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Upcycled irrigation cabinets for fertigation By the City of Cockburn
The City of Cockburn has recorded water savings of approximately 5,000kL this financial year, thanks to a new fertigation unit, wetting agents, kelp products and compost. Atwell Oval is located on Brenchley Drive in Atwell, 21kms south of Perth, in the City of Cockburn. It features two Senior AFL Ovals, two cricket match wickets and four lane cricket practice nets. The oval is used for AFL in winter, cricket in summer (both junior and senior for both), regular high school use and interschool athletic carnivals. City staff need to manage sting nematode areas in the turf adjacent to the club room and interchange. Staff conducted trials of indemnify nematicide adjacent to the clubroom in spring to reduce the impact of sting nematode. This seemed to reduce the impact of nematode damage in combination with compost dusting and it helped the turf to survive during the summer period.
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A Baileys Terracube was installed at Atwell Oval in 2018, to apply wetting agent and kelp products via liquid injection to assist with wear effects of sting nematode and help with turf nutrition and water penetration. The fertigation system is running weekly in summer, alternating between kelp and liquid wetting agent products at the beginning of the irrigation season. Further water savings have been achieved by truck watering turfed-over cricket pitches, instead of using the irrigation system to water-in at initial establishment.
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Lessons learned at Atwell Oval have prompted the Council to install a custom fertigation unit at Beale Park in Spearwood in June 2020. They were able save approximately $5,000 by engaging local contractors to undertake modifications to ‘upcycling’ an existing irrigation cabinet. Modifications included installing float valves, moving the controller lower and installing shelves and vents. Refurbishment of a further six cabinets is planned for parks across the locality.
Urban heat in the spotlight of new video series WA capacity building organisation New WAter Ways has just released a video series on urban heat.
Featuring Professor Nigel Tapper of Monash University’s School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment, each of the five videos in the series covers a different aspect of urban heat and the benefits of irrigated green infrastructure: • How urban heat affects the community • How can we reduce heat in a city? • What can community do to reduce urban heat? • Why do cities get hot? • What are the many benefits of green infrastructure?
Video 1
Urban heat affecting community
Video 1: Urban heat affecting community
The first video covers the health impacts of heat waves and the heat vulnerability of urban populations. Nigel looks at the susceptibility variables for human health impacts, and the heat–mortality relationship in various cities throughout Australia.
urban greening and the significant cooling that can be achieved particularly when strategies are combined. He also explains why irrigated green infrastructure is one of the best things for city cooling.
Video 3 What can community do to reduce urban heat?
Video 3: What can community do to reduce urban heat?
In this video, Nigel talks about how to improve our community’s resilience to urban heat and contribute to a cooler and greener community. He explains why the most obvious actions we can take are to plant more trees and provide opportunities to irrigate, such as harvesting water at home to irrigate lawns and vegetation. He also explains the importance of increasing the perviousness of a city.
Video 4
Why do cities get hot?
Video 2 How can we reduce heat in a city?
Video 2: How can we reduce heat in a city?
In this video, Nigel discusses the urban heat mitigation produced from different scales of investment in
Video 4: Why do cities get hot?
This video covers the main contributors to urban heat and key drivers. Nigel explains that lack of evaporation from impervious surfaces in cities prevents the release of heat into the atmosphere, making cities hotter than rural areas. He also looks at the link between urban heat and climate change.
Video 5 What are the many benefits of green infrastructure?
Video 5: What are the many benefits of green infrastructure? To round out the series, Nigel discusses the role of green infrastructure, water sensitive urban design (WSUD), and trees in addressing adverse climatic conditions of urban areas. He explains the importance of keeping these assets well irrigated and how to achieve that even with water shortages, and answers the common question of whether exotics work just as well as native trees.
Professor Nigel Tapper completed his PhD on urban climate, a subject matter that was distinctly unsexy at the time. Now, thirty years later and on a warmer planet, Nigel is involved in an expert panel on infrastructure and settlement of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the Cities as Water Supply Catchments program, helping to bring down the mercury in our urban areas and the planet as a whole.
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More crop per drop: data-driven water management in Manjimup
If you ask farmers what water is worth, they might say ‘a livelihood’. In an Australian first, a new study in Manjimup, 300km south of Perth, aims to drill down to a dollar figure by calculating the economic returns for every mega litre of water used for irrigation. The Food Agility CRC project is led by Curtin University in collaboration with
the Western Australian Government, Southern Forest Food Council, local farmers and technology companies. The project aims to support farmers to use data to make decisions about water use and irrigation, as well as to demonstrate the value that irrigation generates for farmers and the regional economy. Bevan Eatts with Dr Julia Easton at Morning Glory Farms in Manjimup, Western Australia.
The three-year project targets avocado, apple, wine grape, stone fruit, vegetable and truffle farms, which make up about 90 per cent of horticultural production in the WarrenDonnelly catchment.
About the project – calculating value for crop, farm and whole region
Researchers will install digital water flow meters and soil moisture probes on multiple blocks of each produce type, measuring how much water is being used in real time.
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Dr Julia Easton (Curtin University and Food Agility) Professor Mark Gibberd (Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University) with the team from Wine and Truffle Co, Manjimup WA.
Participating farmers will be able to see, via an online dashboard, their daily water use and soil moisture. They will also be able to compare their irrigation with cumulative evaporation over the season and see data on recent and forecasted rainfall. At the end of the season, researchers will calculate water productivity for each commodity type (profit per megalitre). Farmers will be able to see their water data and how their block performed compared with other de-identified farmers in their group. Farmers will only be able to see their own data, with researchers applying best-practice data privacy methods. After two seasons, the team will aggregate the data to create a regional model of water use for agriculture and its flow-on economic benefits, for example to local businesses, health and education. The data will help farmers make short and long-term decisions about farm management, targeting the practices that help them get the most value out of their water. The project will benefit not only the Warren-Donnelly catchment but will also be a pilot for other horticultural production communities. Quotes from project participants: “It’s really important that producers
understand their exact water usage, the value of the water and the cost of growing those crops… This project will arm our industry with the true value of water and what it brings back to the community. The ultimate goal is to get more crop per drop.” Bevan Eatts, Morning Glory Farm, Director of Southern Forest Flavours “We want to show how the value of water flows through farms into local communities, supporting the businesses and services that make up life in a regional town. We hope that Manjimup will become an example of efficient, data-driven water management for other agricultural regions.” Dr Mike Briers, Food Agility CRC CEO “On farm water use efficiency is highly variable and there are many opportunities to improve the adoption of new technology and to develop the industry capability for strategic irrigation management. This project will clearly demonstrate the potential economic returns to farmers of improved irrigation efficiency. At a broader level, we
want to also understand how water use for agriculture contributes to the economic sustainability of a regional community, such as Manjimup.” Professor Mark Gibberd, Director, Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University “This project will bring together researchers with growers, irrigation and agronomic professionals, to support best practice irrigation decisions.” Rohan Prince, Director of Horticulture Research & Industry Innovation, WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Project participants: • Food Agility CRC • Curtin University (project lead) • WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) • WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation • Southern Forest Food Council and 30 farms in the Warren-Donnelly catchment • Technology companies Swan Systems and WildEye
Curtin University Researchers overlooking the dam at Wine and Truffle Co Manjimup and discussing the project.
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Water Update Water Usage Metro Region
https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Our-water/Rainfalland-dams/Water-use
Yearly Streamflow https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Our-water/Rainfalland-dams/Streamflow
Perth Rainfall Comparison https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Our-water/Rainfalland-dams/Rainfall
Supplied by the Water Corporation Current graphs can be found at www.watercorporation.com.au
you can’t beat
The Original
water is precious. put your trust in the original.
For more information please contact your local Philmac dealer or call 1800 755 899 PHI0533-04/19
RETICULATION SYSTEM.
Whether you are starting from scratch or wanting to improve your existing system, talk to a Waterwise Garden Irrigator for professional irrigation design, installation and maintenance services.
HAVE YOU VISITED THE WA WATERWISE PROGRAMS WEBSITE? If you prefer to do-it-yourself, get expert advice and quality parts from your local Waterwise Irrigation Design Shop (retail outlet).
www.waterwiseprograms.com.au
To find a Waterwise professional in your local area, simply scan our QR code to search the Waterwise Irrigation Directory, or visit our website wa.waterwiseprograms.com.au
Search the Waterwise Irrigation Directory
Alternatively please contact us on: (08) 9368 3136 | adminsupport@irrigation.org.au | wa.waterwiseprograms.com.au
The Waterwise Garden Irrigator Program is a joint initiative of the WA Region of Irrigation Australia and Water Corporation, with a goal of optimising water-use efficiency of domestic irrigation systems in Western Australia. Endorsed Waterwise Garden Irrigators are fully trained in water efficient practices and can design, install, repair and maintain home garden irrigation systems.
WATERWISE GARDEN IRRIGATORS
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AAA Irrigation
Growing Assets
Retic Turf & Soakwells Pty Ltd
Adonis Gardening & Irrigation
Horizon West Landscape & Irrigation
Reticulation & Gardens Perth
Advantage Bores & Reticulation Services
Instant Gardens
Retic Repairs WA
All water irrigation
Irriscape Reticulation & Landscaping
Reticulation Pro
Allwest Bores & Reticulation
Jim's Mowing Wilson North
Robert Reynolds
B & C Fiorini Pty Ltd
Joel Irrigation & Landscaping
Softscapes & Reticulation Pty Ltd
BHG Garden Service
Landscape Elements Pty Ltd
Sprinkler Fixers
Bolesta's Backyard Creations
Landscape Works WA
Superior Landscaping & Reticulation
Bowie Irrigation
LD TOTAL
The Garden Fixer
Bradkaz Irrigation
Love My Retic
The Greenscape Collective
Brighton Reticulation
Lowcut Lawnmowing
The Retic Company
Brookwell Irrigation
Luke's Landscaping Co
The Retic & Landscape Shop
CHATT Services
Meticulous Maintenance Services
The Watershed Water Systems Midland
Chris’s Landscaping
Midwest Turf Supplies
Think Water Dunsborough
Civic Reticulation
MJ Landscaping
Think Water Geraldton
Clackline Reticulation
Mr Retic
Think Water Perth
Coast to Coast Irrigation
Peel Scape Solutions
TLC Services Perth
Condo Landscapes Pty Ltd
Perdita Reticulation & Garden Solutions
Top Dog Landscaping and Reticulation
Country Landscaping Pty Ltd
Perfect Home Solutions
Total Eden
Dynamic Property Solutions
Perth Lawns and Retic
Turfed Out
Earlybird Landscaping
Perth Reticulation Service
Ultimate Blue Pty Ltd
Earth & Water Pty Ltd
Pimp My Yard
WA Reticulation Supplies
Ecoedge Retic Supplies
Plantech Grounds Maintenance
WaterLink
Elliotts Irrigation Pty Ltd
Portworks
Waterwise Landscaping
Evergreen Blades
Pretty Blooming Good
Waterwise West
Evergrow Gardenscapes
Prime Landscaping Pty Ltd
Westcoast Reticulation Services
First Element Irrigation
PTC Irrigation
Wet Frog Retic
FPM Landscapes Pty Ltd
Pumps N Pipes Supplies
WF Landscape Industries Pty Ltd
Garden Solutions
Rain Maker Irrigation Services
Wild Earth Landscapes
Great Northern Rural Services
Rapid Retic
Willetton Landscapes
Greenworx
Retic Express
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The website features an extensive and up-todate business directory where the community can search for their local Waterwise members, based on their location. Head to the search directory at www.waterwiseprograms.com.au for members’ contact details, or if you’d like information on how to become an endorsed Waterwise business. With an increasing number of DIY enthusiasts installing and maintaining their own irrigation systems, the Waterwise Irrigation Design Shop Program was developed to raise the standard of irrigation advice and design services offered by staff at counter level of specialist irrigation retailers. Endorsed staff have the knowledge and skills to provide their customers with waterwise advice, products and services.
WATERWISE IRRIGATION DESIGN SHOPS Addwater Reticulation - Maddington
Think Water Geraldton
Controlled Irrigation Supplies - Joondalup
Think Water Perth
Elliotts Irrigation Pty Ltd- Greenwood
Total Eden Watering Systems - Balcatta
Muchea Irrigation & Rural Supplies
Total Eden Watering Systems - Bibra Lake
Rainscape Waterwise Solutions - Bibra Lake
Total Eden Watering Systems - Byford
Reece Irrigation - Belmont
Total Eden Watering Systems - Canning Vale
Reece Irrigation - Canning Vale
Total Eden Watering Systems - Greenwood
Reece Irrigation - Malaga
Total Eden Watering Systems - Joondalup
Reece Irrigation - Osborne Park
Total Eden Watering Systems - Malaga
Reece Irrigation - Rockingham
Total Eden Watering Systems - Mandurah
The Retic & Landscape Shop- Southern River
Total Eden Watering Systems - Midvale
The Watershed Water Systems - Cockburn
Total Eden Watering Systems - Myaree
The Watershed Water Systems - Midland
Total Eden Watering Systems - Osborne Park
The Watershed Water Systems - Morley
Total Eden Watering Systems - Rockingham
The Watershed Water Systems - Subiaco
WA Reticulation Supplies - Armadale
Think Water Broome
WA Reticulation Supplies - Midland
Think Water Dunsborough
Watertorque – Muchea
SOUTH WEST WATERWISE PROGRAMS Irrigation Australia has recently launched the Waterwise Irrigation Programs in the South West region of WA, with the support of local water utilities; Busselton Water and Aqwest. We welcome the following new members to the Programs:
WATERWISE IRRIGATION DESIGN SHOP
WATERWISE GARDEN IRRIGATOR PROGRAM
Country Water Solutions – Bunbury
ARB Landscaping & Fencing
Total Eden – Busselton
Country Landscaping & Irrigation Total Eden - Busselton
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Waterwise Workshops In response to social distancing requirements, we are now running community virtual workshop videos with the aim of educating our followers in many aspects of the irrigation world! These workshops will cover a series of topics, narrated by Waterwise Professional & Television presenter Darren Seinor!
Sit back, kick your feet up and enjoy our range of community videos! Click to watch Our Integrated Water Supply Scheme (IWSS) Rainfall… Once the key supplier of water for irrigation has been steadily declining in Western Australia, particularly over the last 40 years. Join us, as we breakdown what’s happened and how there are measures being put in place to save precious water.
Irrigation Practices – Simple Measures to Improve Efficiency There are simple & easily achievable Irrigation Practices available that improve irrigation/water efficiency and are great horticulture practices. From Hyrdrozoning techniques, to seasonal sprinkler adjustment settings, available sensors, meters & even simple tips & tricks. We cover them all in this quick workshop!
System Evaluation – Measuring Application Rates & Calculating Runtimes
Groundwater The water cycle shows how interconnected all water supplies are and how it is important to understand the journey, every water molecule makes.
System Evaluation is critical to an effective & efficient irrigation system. The principles of irrigation efficiency revolve around multiple core principles… The following workshop will cover all aspects that revolve around system evaluation & will breakdown into simple steps, how you can achieve this.
Tune in to this workshop as we list the reasons why groundwater is so important, how much of it is accessible & the way we can harvest it.
Irrigation Controllers – Simple to Smart
Soil Water – An Important Consideration
The irrigation controller is the heart of the irrigation system. They vary massively in complexity & capability, but always remain incredibly important.
Soil Water is an extremely important consideration for irrigation. Soil is generally formed in one of three states…
In this workshop, you’ll learn about the many different types of irrigation controllers, their purpose & why exactly you must have one.
For more information please contact us on: (08) 9368 3136 | adminsupport@irrigation.org.au | www.waterwiseprograms.com.au © Irrigation Australia 2020
This simple workshop will help you better understand the ins & outs of why Soil Water could be such an important aspect of your irrigation system.
