Saudi Olive Grove: Flushing Cut from 30 Minutes to 2

Case Study from HydroFLOW Tunisia

Drip irrigation clogging on a 60,000 hectare farm

Drip irrigation clogging was affecting more than half the emitters on a 60,000 hectare olive and crop farm in Al Jouf, Saudi Arabia. Biofilm, mineral deposits and microbiologically induced corrosion were all coming out of the wells together. Every well restart needed half an hour of flushing, and weekly flushing and acid injection were using water, labour and chemicals without solving the underlying problem. Four HydroFLOW® custom 10 inch units were fitted to two wells and run for six months against an untreated comparison well. Restart flushing fell from 30 minutes to two, the flushing interval stretched from five days to 20 and emitter clogging risk dropped by up to half.

The Challenge

• Drip irrigation clogging affected more than 50% of emitters
• Well restart flushing took 30 minutes or more
• Weekly flushing and acid injection were required
• Daily winter restarts increased water loss and labour
• Microbiologically induced corrosion, biofilm and minerals contaminated the well water

The Solution

• Units installed: four HydroFLOW® custom 10 inch units, two per well
• Installation point: wells A127 and D97, one unit before filtration and one after
• Trial: six months against untreated comparison well D96
• Previous treatment: weekly flushing and acid injection

To tackle drip irrigation clogging at source rather than at the emitters, the units were fitted at the well heads, before and after filtration. The signal disrupts the conditions that let biofilm and mineral deposits bond to surfaces. The two treated wells were then compared with untreated well D96 over six months for MIC activity, the condition of wells and pipework, and flushing intervals.