In The Trenches Think Water Podcast https://thinkwater.podbean.com In the Trenches is a Think Water podcast about the people, businesses and ideas behind the water and irrigation industry.

Hosted by Chris and Digby, the podcast brings together franchise partners, industry experts, suppliers and business owners for honest conversations about what’s happening on the ground. From running a business and building great teams to irrigation, water conservation, pumps, filtration, technology and franchising, each episode gets into the challenges, lessons and opportunities shaping the industry.

]]> Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:57:58 -0300 https://podbean.com/?v=5.5 en Copyright 2026 All rights reserved. Business 1440 episodic thinkwater thinkwater No false https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/22576893/In_the_Trenches_1_6iapj.png In The Trenches Think Water Podcast https://thinkwater.podbean.com 144 144 Ep1 The Art of Golf Irrigation Design and Beyond the Fairway, with Dave Pearce Ep1 The Art of Golf Irrigation Design and Beyond the Fairway, with Dave Pearce https://thinkwater.podbean.com/e/golf-irrigation-water-efficiency-the-future-of-smart-irrigation-dave-pearce/ https://thinkwater.podbean.com/e/golf-irrigation-water-efficiency-the-future-of-smart-irrigation-dave-pearce/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:57:58 -0300 thinkwater.podbean.com/25bf3d2c-1fab-3731-98be-0e5cde02a652 What does it really take to design and deliver irrigation systems at scale and how do you build them to perform for decades?

 

With 39 years of irrigation industry experience, Dave Pearce joins Chris Rehm on Think Water’s In the Trenches podcast to unpack the realities of large-scale irrigation across golf courses, sports fields and commercial turf.

 

Dave shares practical lessons from decades in the field, from planning water supply and storage through to irrigation system design, stakeholder management and long-term performance. He also explores how sensors, metering, smart controls and better use of data are changing the way irrigation systems are designed and managed.

 

And for irrigation contractors looking to step into larger projects, Dave also discusses an important question: is your business actually ready for the scale?

 

Key takeaways:

  • Why the fundamentals of irrigation remain the same at scale — but planning, organisation and logistics become significantly more complex
  • Why water supply, storage, seasonal demand and water reuse need to be considered early in the design process
  • Why the cheapest irrigation system upfront may not deliver the best result over a 30-year operating life
  • The importance of aligning designers, operators, irrigation contractors and budget holders from the beginning
  • How sensors, metering, smart controls and data are helping operators improve water efficiency
  • Where smart irrigation technology is heading and what it means for existing systems
  • What irrigation contractors should have in place before taking on major projects

 

Chapters

00:42 Meet Dave Pearce: 39 Years in the Irrigation Industry

01:39 Large-Scale Irrigation: Golf Courses, Sports Fields & Commercial Turf

03:42 Planning and Designing Large-Scale Irrigation Systems

05:45 Irrigation Water Supply, Storage, Reuse & Sustainability

07:44 Irrigation System Design: Upfront Cost vs Long-Term Performance

10:51 Smart Irrigation Technology: Sensors, Metering & Water Efficiency

15:45 The Future of Smart Irrigation & Data-Driven Water Management

17:39 Upgrading and Modernising Older Irrigation Systems

18:55 What Irrigation Contractors Need Before Taking on Large Projects

 

In the Trenches is a Think Water podcast exploring the people, projects, technology and practical experience shaping the irrigation and water industry.

 

Listen or Watch On;

 

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/4r647bzs

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3yctvppc

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/mwjwwew4

 

]]> What does it really take to design and deliver irrigation systems at scale and how do you build them to perform for decades?

 

With 39 years of irrigation industry experience, Dave Pearce joins Chris Rehm on Think Water’s In the Trenches podcast to unpack the realities of large-scale irrigation across golf courses, sports fields and commercial turf.

 

Dave shares practical lessons from decades in the field, from planning water supply and storage through to irrigation system design, stakeholder management and long-term performance. He also explores how sensors, metering, smart controls and better use of data are changing the way irrigation systems are designed and managed.

 

And for irrigation contractors looking to step into larger projects, Dave also discusses an important question: is your business actually ready for the scale?

 

Key takeaways:

  • Why the fundamentals of irrigation remain the same at scale — but planning, organisation and logistics become significantly more complex
  • Why water supply, storage, seasonal demand and water reuse need to be considered early in the design process
  • Why the cheapest irrigation system upfront may not deliver the best result over a 30-year operating life
  • The importance of aligning designers, operators, irrigation contractors and budget holders from the beginning
  • How sensors, metering, smart controls and data are helping operators improve water efficiency
  • Where smart irrigation technology is heading and what it means for existing systems
  • What irrigation contractors should have in place before taking on major projects

 

Chapters

00:42 Meet Dave Pearce: 39 Years in the Irrigation Industry

01:39 Large-Scale Irrigation: Golf Courses, Sports Fields & Commercial Turf

03:42 Planning and Designing Large-Scale Irrigation Systems

05:45 Irrigation Water Supply, Storage, Reuse & Sustainability

07:44 Irrigation System Design: Upfront Cost vs Long-Term Performance

10:51 Smart Irrigation Technology: Sensors, Metering & Water Efficiency

15:45 The Future of Smart Irrigation & Data-Driven Water Management

17:39 Upgrading and Modernising Older Irrigation Systems

18:55 What Irrigation Contractors Need Before Taking on Large Projects

 

In the Trenches is a Think Water podcast exploring the people, projects, technology and practical experience shaping the irrigation and water industry.

 

Listen or Watch On;

 

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/4r647bzs

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3yctvppc

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/mwjwwew4

 

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