Risk of clogging in localized irrigation systems caused by irrigation water

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the quality of groundwater from the Javita River basin in the province of Santa Elena (Ecuador), with an emphasis on hardness and the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI), which are determining parameters in the formation of scale and the obstruction of emitters in localized irrigation systems. The research was carried out through three sampling campaigns conducted in 2024 at 25 wells distributed throughout the agricultural area of the basin, where water samples were collected in accordance with Ecuadorian technical standards and analyzed in the laboratory for variables such as pH, electrical conductivity, cation concentration (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺) and anions (CO₃²⁻, HCO₃⁻, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻) were analyzed in the laboratory, from which the total hardness and LSI were calculated. The results showed that more than 70% of the sources have water classified as hard or very hard, with hardness values above 500 mg/L of CaCO₃ in several cases, while LSI values ranged from 0.20 to 1.35, with an average of 0.60, indicating calcium carbonate supersaturation and a marked tendency to scaling. It is concluded that the combination of hard water and positive LSI represents a high risk of clogging drippers. Preventive measures such as pH correction through acid injection, the use of scale inhibitors, and systematic monitoring of physicochemical parameters are recommended to optimize the sustainability of localized irrigation systems. and pipes, reducing irrigation efficiency and uniformity, and compromising agricultural productivity.