At a time of severe water shortages and ever-hotter summers, conservation of water for gardens is increasingly important. But you can only collect rainwater when it’s raining. What about the rest of the time? The AIR-igator ingeniously solves this problem by collecting condensate from air conditioners, storing it and then automatically drip-watering. So, the hotter it gets, the more water your garden gets.
Given that a fairly efficient three-ton central air conditioning unit will produce as many as 15 gallons of water a day, the water conserved adds up fast. What’s more, because condensate from air conditioners is absolutely pure – with no chemicals or minerals – it’s ideal for use in micro-irrigation. This makes the AIR-igator perfect for xeriscaping, where a garden can, through a combination of appropriate plants and thoughtful landscaping, become entirely self-sufficient.
The system also has the great plus of being very simple. A 24” diameter, 65 gallon polyethylene tank is buried in the ground and the condensate drain pipe plumbed straight in. Within the sealed, UV inhibited reservoir, there is a submersible 120V, 1200GPH pump and a float control. When the tank fills, the float will start the pump and run until it’s empty. Alternately, the float can be used to signal a timer for specified watering times.
The AIR-igator is designed for low-pressure micro-irrigation, where a drip system uses “emitters” to place water directly at the base of a tree or plant, where it’s needed most. Water loss is kept to a minimum and weed growth is also inhibited.
A complete AIR-igator system costs USD$495 and is, presently, only available through the Florida-based manufacturer.
Drip irrigation is not good for trees. Trees need watered over the entire area of their root system. For most trees that extends out to at least the edge of the branches. The roots will grow out and down as far as they can get water.
Drip irrigation right around the trunk will result in stunted roots and the tree will become an easily blown down storm hazard.