Environmental Assessment of Underdrain Designs for Granular Media Filters in Drip Irrigation Systems

Irrigation is very important for global food production and, therefore, it key to moving towards increasingly sustainable irrigation systems. However, the adoption of more efficient water-use techniques, such as drip irrigation, increases energy consumption. A large part efficiency systems depends on equipment used, filters. The environmental impact three media filters (a prototype with a porous underdrain and two commercial filters, inserted domes collector arms underdrains, respectively) different bed heights, filtration rates, medium materials was studied using life cycle analysis (LCA). Under operating conditions that minimize impact, design has lowest overall achieving reductions up 432% 18% in some impacts regarding arm, respectively. filter better performance, but its status hinders raw material, building, end-of-life phases. Conversely, arm worst performance. This work shows designs should prioritize solutions allow minimizing consumption during their operation increase sustainability.