The Carolinas Irrigation Association will host its 2023 Waterpalooza event at the McKimmon Center at the North Carolina State University on Oct. 12. Registration ends Oct. 5
Presentations include:
Conservation, efficiency, and the next big thing: Chris Keating, Toro/Irritrol/Unique Lighting
- This session will explain the difference between water conservation and irrigation efficiency. One is the desired result, and the other is the preferred method to achieve it. It will identify emerging technologies that can improve efficiency while reminding everyone about the underused and misused existing technologies that exist now that are capable of significant water savings and increasing efficiency. The session will briefly discuss new laws sweeping the country that mandate the use of more efficient products and even ban the use of popular sprinkler types.
Irrigation piping trends – where have we been and where are we going? Rodney Crow, Harco Fittings
- The irrigation industry has changed exponentially over the past 20 years, but where will the industry head in the next 20 years? Knowing your company’s options to install the most cost-effective yet reliable water distribution system is paramount to staying current in today’s market. Learn your options for what the future holds, and how your business can be at the forefront of these progressing trends.
Hazards in the irrigation industry: Ted Hendrix, North Carolina Department of Labor
- This session will cover what irrigation-related hazards OSHA Compliance Officers have observed in the field in North Carolina in previous years, including irrigation-related inspection and citation results. Specific irrigation-related hazards to avoid to protect the safety and welfare of irrigation professionals and their clients will also be discussed.
The 3 essential “Es” of a successful green industry contractor: estimation, execution and evaluation: Steve Hill, New Leaf Associates
- Instead of thinking of traditional tools used in the landscape industry (mowers, trimmers, trenchers, skid-steers, shovels, rakes, etc.), this session will focus on the essential business and organizational skills that will improve the efficiency, productivity and profitability of smaller (under $2,000,000 sales) or new irrigation and landscape firms.
Irrigation controller wireless innovation: Rick Hall, K-Rain Manufacturing
- Every year professionals look for industry innovations to better aid them with efficiencies and productivity. Irrigation controllers no longer require multiple output wires to control multiple zones. Today controllers no longer require the time and expense of installing any wires. This session will discuss some of today’s no-wire innovations that still allow controllers to operate the irrigation system. The session will also take a quick look at some of these innovative products providing professionals with more installation and maintenance options.
Managing soil moisture in the landscape: Kurt Thompson, K. Thompson and Associates
- Keeping plants healthy and attractive with a minimum amount of water and labor is the goal of every landscape or irrigation manager. But this goes beyond plant selection and applying the water uniformly and at the right time. Water conservation and plant health begins and ends in the soil. This course teaches landscape and irrigation managers to apply the connection between plants, soils and water to manage soil moisture, especially for those creating and adjusting irrigation schedules of traditional or “smart” controllers. It will explain the basic physics of how soils store and release water and nutrients to plants and the importance of soil biology’s role in the process.
