Dripper Systems
Dripper system questions and answers are available below.
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What is a dripper system?
A dripper system drips water on, or near to the root zone of plants. The system must use a fixed rate of flow, which does not exceed nine litres per hour for every linear meter of watering system. You can contact your local water utility about retrofitting a dripper system to your current watering system.
What areas of my garden can I water with a dripper system?
Most areas including: ornamental gardens; plants on slopes and flat ground; and vegetable gardens. Please note that lawns cannot be watered.
Why is it more effective to use a dripper system rather than a spray sprinkler system?
Dripper systems place water directly on the root of plants. They minimise water loss that can be a result of windy conditions, evaporation and run-off. Dripper systems also reduce the risk of plant fungal and insect problems, as leaves are not watered.
Is it best to place a dripper system on top of or under soil?
Dripper systems can be laid either above or below the soil or in a layer of mulch. Placing dripper systems in these environments ensures that your plants can absorb the maximum amount of water.
Can I convert my current watering system to a dripper system?
Yes. Existing sprinkler heads can be removed and replaced with drip emitters and existing holes can be plugged. For further information contact your local irrigation specialist, hardware store or garden nursery.
Note: Since 1 September 2005 any new automatic dripper system installed is required to have a rain or soil moisture sensor controller integrated into the system. We recommend that older systems be fitted with such sensors too – in fact it is compulsory for Councils to have these sensors on any automatic watering system.
How can I ensure that my system is only using 9 litres of water per hour per linear meter?
You can purchase a flow control device from all good gardening centres and hardware stores that will help you do this, or contact your local irrigation specialist.
Where can I purchase a dripper system?
Contact your local irrigation specialist - you can find them by visiting www.irrigation.org.au or checking your yellow pages (under irrigation). You can also visit your local garden centre.