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A: Usually with the advent of winter, summer irrigation
is generally winding down. This is a good time to evaluate any affects
micro-organisms may have had on your Irrigation system in the form
of biofouling during the pumping period. How does your system measure
up against the following check list?
- Measure a timed amount of water through the flow meter. (How
does it compare with the last figures?)
- Read the voltage/amp. meters. (compare it with the last
reading.)
- Line shaft pumps, check packing gland for sediment build-up
around the gland and bore head.
- Open inspection port at bore head. check for sediment inside
pipe.
- Remove sprinklers, check for sediment build-up inside
- Remove a section of pipe work. Check for internal diameter reduction
due to deposits.
- Send sample of sediment for analysis. No matter how small. It
may be the start of a problem.
If during this process you discover reduced water flow or increased
amp. loading, combined with any red/yellow sediment accumulation
it is time to act. You may have an Iron Bacteria problem.
Iron Problems are increased by bacteria in the groundwater
Fouling by Iron and sulphur bacteria is likely to occur in ground
water bores and plumbing where:
- An unusual number of problems associated with biological clogging
and corrosion have occurred already in other bores in the area
- There are unsealed abandoned ground water bores in the area.
- Aquifers in contact with the surface, these are usually at risk
from contamination.
- There are areas with carbonate or fractured crystalline rocks
or highly productive sands and gravel.
- Shallow aquifers which contain high microbial populations.
- Confined aquifer rock contains gypsum or hydrocarbons which
often have problems with bacterially produced sulphides (SRB)
or slime-forming sulphide oxidizing bacteria (SOB).
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