For those interested in learning how we manage the water supply to irrigate the various areas on the orpahange as well as at the outreach centre this year I asked Terry Ormrod, Canadian residential/commercial Sales Manager for Toro who has travelled with us both times to explain the process.
Since the idea of travelling to the Dominican to put our skills to use was hatched Terry has been a dedicated and passionate team member. He has arranged for hundreds of meters of irrigation piping (and fittings) for the project, this year Toro Ag department donated over a 1/4 mile of drip irrigation.
From Terry:
The irrigation mainline for the drip zones comes directly off of the pressurized line from the pump. This line goes from the pump (pump house) to the water holding tank on the roof of the building and the water level in the tank is controlled by a mechanical float switch. Kind of like a fancy toilet bowl float. Once the float goes down it opens a valve and allows the water to flow thus depleting the pressure tank in the pump-house and the pressure switch activates the pump. In the case of the irrigation system, Steve intercepted this line and once a zone valve is opened it once again depletes the pressure tank and the pump comes on. As long as the power is on the system will run 100%. When the power is off the entire irrigation system is out of service.
