Urban Irrigation in Sydney Metropolitan Area Developing Strategies for Efficient Irrigation

Project Quick Links:
Progress to date
Publications
Media Releases
Researchers
Postgraduate students
Partners
Workshops
Irrigation Toolkits
Training

Leader:

Ass Prof Basant Maheshwari

(02) 4570-1235

b.maheshwari@uws.edu.au

Project Description:
Goal
To develop a better understanding of how different irrigation methods used around homes in Sydney Metropolitan Area perform and identify opportunity for achieving significant irrigation water savings.

Outcomes & Benefits
Recommendations to SWC on the most efficient form of readily available irrigation, outlining both system type and irrigation method.

Key Outputs
(i) Determine current state of physical system (i.e., is it well designed, operated and maintained?),
(ii) Measure efficiency of the current practice of watering around homes and
(iii) Develop strategies for water savings from improving the efficiency of existing systems.

Strategies
We need data on three aspects to come up with tools and strategies that will help reduce water use in urban irrigation:

(i) current state of physical system (i.e., is it well designed, operated and maintained?),

(ii) how efficient is the current practice of watering and

(iii) quantify water savings from improving the efficiency of existing systems.

The key activities of the project will include:

1. Survey through mail and web page on: irrigation methods used; how irrigation decisions are taken; how much water is applied; what people understand about watering and what they do not understand about it; what is causing wastage of water; what people need in-terms of tools and understanding to become better irrigators.

2. From the above survey, identify 50 representative urban irrigation sites (e.g., households or commercial premises) for more detailed study of their water use practices.

3. Perform ‘irrigation system check’ on the selected sites to develop understanding of current state of irrigation systems in operation.

4. Encourage those sites with inefficient systems to undertake remedial work to make the system efficient

5. Monitor the volume of water used at the selected sites by installing logged water meters. This will provide quantification of the savings from improved efficiency.

6. Monitor the soil moisture at the selected sites to develop a better understanding of how the amount and timing of irrigation match soil moisture patterns.

7. Based on the analysis of data collected in the steps 2, 3, 4 and 5, describe the current state of irrigation effectiveness in the SMA and issues/factors that affect water conservation in urban irrigation.

8. Suggest tools, practices and strategies which will encourage more efficient urban irrigation design, installation and operation to deliver the most significant reduction in overall water use.

Progress to Date:

Publications:

Author	Title and Refereed Journal
Schwecke, M., Simmons, B. and Maheshwari, B. (2007)	Sustainable Use of Stormwater for Irrigation. Case Study: Manly Golf Course Environmentalist
Author	Title and Report
Maheshwari B & Connellan G (eds) (2004)	Role of Irrigation in Urban Water Conservation: Opportunities and Challenges. Proceedings of the National Workshop on Role of Irrigation in Urban Water Conservation - Opportunities and Challenges. October 28-29 Cooperative Centre for Irrigation Futures, Toowoomba.
Stirzaker, R (2005)	Saving water on sports ovals in Canberra, CSIRO Land and Water Client Report May 2005 CSIRO Land and Water, Canberra
Howard, E., Misra, R., Loch, R. and Le-Minh, N. (2005)	Laundry grey water potential impact on Toowoomba soils – final report Landloch and NCEA. National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture
Maheshwari B (2006)	Urban Irrigation - looking at water use in our backyardUrban Irrigation - looking at water use in our backyard Journal of Australia Water Association
Author	Title and Published Conference Paper or Workshop Paper
Connellan G (2005)	Developing irrigation technology solutions National Workshop on Role of Irrigation in Urban Water Conservation - Opportunities and Challenges
Connellan G (2005)	Evaluating and benchmarking the performance of urban irrigation Irrigation Association of Australia National Conference
Connellan G (2005)	Water management planning Irrigation Association of Australia National Conference
Durak M (2005)	Urban irrigation research at the Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures National Workshop on Role of Irrigation in Urban Water Conservation – Opportunities and Challenges
Maheshwari BL (2004)	Urban Irrigation: understanding issues and research needs National Workshop of Role of Irrigation in Urban Water Conservation - Opportunities and Challenges
Waterhouse T (2005)	Water conservation in urban landscapes – issues and challenges for irrigation equipment manufacturers National Workshop on Role of Irrigation in Urban Water Conservation –Opportunities and Challenges
Devi, B., Maheshwari, B. and Simmons, B. (2006)	Understanding the Value of Urban Green Space The Irrigation Australia 2006 Conference
Maheshwari, B. and Connellan, G. (2006)	Urban Irrigation in Australia - Its performance and sustainability. the Irrigation Australia 2006 Conference
Schwecke, M., Simmons, B. and Maheshwari, B. (2005)	Sustainable use of stormwater for irrigation: A case study of Manly Golf Course Environmental Research Event
Devi, B., Maheshwari, B. and Simmons, B. (2005)	Rainwater harvesting for residential irrigation: how sustainable is it in urban context? XII International Rainwater Catchment Systems Conference
Schwecke, M., B. Simmons, Maheshwari, B (2005)	Sustainable Use of Stormwater for Irrigation: A Case Study of Manly Golf Course. 9th Annual Environmental Research Event, Hobart, Tasmania
Schwecke, M. and B. Simmons (2006)	Sustainability of Stormwater Use for Golf Course Irrigation Enviro 06 Conference and Exhibition
Schwecke, M., B. Simmons., Maheshwari, B (2006)	Understanding Community Awareness of the Use of Alternative Water Sources for Irrigation of Golf Courses in Urban Landscapes ANCID 2006 National Conference and Exhibition
Devi, B., Sofoulis, Z. and Williams, C. (0)	Putting the users into end use analysis: rethinking residential landscape water demand management Proceedings of the 'In the Pipeline' Symposium

Media Releases:
- Study busts water saving myths
- Waste not, want not: how better urban irrigation planning can stop H2O going down the gurgler

Researchers:

Ms Deborah Atkins

Ass Prof Basant Maheshwari

Mr Bruce Simmons

Mr David Russell

Prof Peter Cornish

Postgraduate Students:

Dr Bhakti-Lata Devi

Ms Melanie Schwecke

Ms Viola Devasirvatham

Partners:
The University of Western Sydney

Workshops:
- Role of Irrigation in Urban Water Conservation: Opportunities and Challenges

Irrigation Toolkits:
- WASP

Training: