CONTROL OF CLOGGING IN DRIP IRRIGATION WITH STORED TREATED MUNICIPAL SEWAGE EFFLUENT

Emitter clogging is a major problem incurred in the operation of drip irrigation systems, especially when these systems utilize treated wast ewater effluent stored in surface reservoirs. In an attempt to seek so lutions to the problems arising from the presence of suspended particl es, algae, zooplankton and other organisms in the reservoirs, as well as to prevent clogging in the supply lines and in downstream sections of the drip laterals, a series of filter and drip emitter clogging tri als was set up. The trials were conducted with two water supplies. The first (1987-1990) was water from the Kfar Barukh reservoir, which sto res storm run-off, treated sewage effluent and National Carrier water. The second (1991-1992) was water from the Burgata reservoir, which st ores only secondary effluents. This paper reports on the performance o f manual and automatic screens, discs and media filters and of differe nt types of emitters, as well as on the effect of chemical treatments designed to control clogging. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science B .V.