Page 12 - Landscape-Issue159

FEATURE

ADVANCING PRECISION IRRIGATION

FOR A SUSTAINABLE GREEN INDUSTRY

As water scarcity intensifies across South Africa, maintaining healthy, resilient
landscapes is becoming an increasingly complex task. For landscape managers, the
challenge is no longer simply about keeping spaces green, it is about doing more

with fewer resources.

reen spaces remain essential. They support biodiversity,
reduce urban heat and enhance the quality of life across
Gurban and commercial environments. However, the resources
required to sustain them, such as water, are under growing pressure.
The solution is a shift toward more precise, efficient and data-driven
approaches to irrigation management.
Irrigation today is no longer just about delivering water. It is about
precision, applying the correct volume, at the right time, and in
direct response to changing environmental conditions. Achieving
this requires moving beyond fixed scheduling practices toward
systems that can dynamically adapt to real-time inputs. As a result,
advanced irrigation technologies are becoming central to long term
sustainable water management.
Intelligent controller platforms, such as the Mottech Elite Series,
play a key role in enabling this transition. By integrating valves, flow
meters, sensors and weather data into a unified control environment,
these systems provide a comprehensive view of irrigation operations.
Real-time data allows schedules to be continuously adjusted based
on actual site conditions, ensuring that water is applied only where
and when it is needed. In practice, this reduces waste while improving
overall landscape health.
Equally important is the communication infrastructure that
supports these systems. The Mottech Decoder System (MDS),
operating on a two-wire communication path, offers a streamlined
alternative to traditional multi-wire installations. By significantly
reducing underground cabling, it simplifies installation and
minimises potential failure points. This is particularly valuable in
large-scale environments such as estates, campuses and municipal
parks, where infrastructure often spans considerable distances.
Within these networks, decoders function as intelligent field
devices. Each unit controls valve operation by supplying 24 VAC
power while simultaneously monitoring key electrical parameters.
Through true two-way communication with the controller, this
information is relayed in real time, providing continuous visibility
into system performance. Faults such as wiring breaks or solenoid
failures can therefore be identified and addressed early, reducing
downtime and limiting the need for manual fault-finding.
Operationally, the benefits are both immediate and measurable.
Reduced trenching lowers installation time and associated costs,
while improved system visibility enables faster maintenance
and more informed decision-making. For landscape managers
responsible for complex or high-value sites, these efficiencies are
critical in maintaining reliable, adaptable irrigation systems.
The integration of intelligent controllers like the Mottech Elite
Series with decoder-based networks such as the Mottech Decoder As the green industry continues to respond to environmental and
System (MDS) represents a significant advancement in irrigation economic pressures, the adoption of such technologies will become
technology. By combining precision control, real-time monitoring increasingly important. Precision irrigation is no longer a future
and scalable infrastructure, these systems support a more efficient consideration – it is fast becoming the standard for maintaining
and sustainable approach to landscape water management. sustainable, resilient landscapes in a water-constrained environment. n

10 Landscape SA • Issue 159 2025 Check us out www.salandscape.co.za