“Efficiency is doing better what is already being done.” – Peter Drucker

We live in a world where everybody is trying to make things better. Some call that technology. It drives us, literally and figuratively. I’ve heard the older generation say, “Boy, you got to work smarter, not harder.” When I think about that comment, I think about more than just manual labor. It’s something that comes into play in every aspect of life.

As an engineer for Valley_® Water Management(VWM), I design irrigation pumps and stations for water pump irrigation applications. Through my experiences and conversations with growers, I know that efficiency and user experience are very important parts of a pump design. Efficiency saves energy, which in turn saves money as power costs are decreased. The user experience aspect of a pumping station is important because it needs to be simple and easy-to-use; if a pump station is difficult to maneuver, then the grower will have nothing but a negative experience with his or her irrigation pumps.

The ultimate goal of a pump design is to create it based on the customer’s desires and operational management, but to not forget about lowering its operating costs. Lower operating costs mean that the grower will get a return on investment sooner and save more money in the long term.

VWM uses the latest and greatest technology for the design of water pump irrigation stations in both new products and new ideas. Pump stations can vary in flow but can also vary in design based upon design criteria. Each pump station is custom designed to meet the operational needs of the customer for their specific application.

Efficiency can not only be seen in dollars and cents, but also in the pump station design itself. As discussed earlier, a pump station needs to be user friendly and efficient. If a grower decides to replace a pump station, Valley Water Management and your Valley dealer will ask for feedback from the customer as to how we can help them operate better. If a brand-new pump station needs to be installed, we ask about usability of the pump station upfront so that we can design it for the grower’s needs and best understand where performance needs to be focused.

Working smarter today will help us all in the future, as we are always striving to make things better. Being more efficient will help us grow in all aspects of engineering, farming, etc., and in turn will create a better environment for the future.

For more information on how we can help your pumping stations run more efficiently, contact your local Valley dealer today.