Commissioning an irrigation system ensures that the installed irrigation system meets the design performance specifications, it is complete to the required workmanship standards, is safe to operate, and is ready to perform as per the designer’s and operator’s system performance expectations.
Commissioning occurs at the substantial completion of the installation contract and as the first transition into the operational period. In most cases, commissioning is the point in time when responsibility for the irrigation system is ‘handed over’ from the designer and installer to the owner/operator and may have implications for insurance, maintenance programmes, and consent compliance.
The Minimum Expectations for Commissioning (download box) details the flushing, flow, pressure, and emitter checks along with the ‘as-built plans’ that must be provided for all new irrigation systems before hand-over.
The Best Practice Guide to Commissioning a Piped Irrigation System (download box) provides a general commissioning plan, and as-built drawing expectations along with specific items that should be considered when planning, designing, and implementing a new irrigation development.
An Operation and Maintenance Manual is a fundamental part of the commissioning process. It is also an essential part of every Health and Safety programme. IrrigationNZ has developed an operation and maintenance checklist and operation and maintenance manual guide to help irrigators and installers prepare these documents.