“The grass is always greener on the other side,” is what people usually say when someone makes a life decision that is predominantly based on perceived notions. I think we all have an innate ability to try and convince each other to make certain choices. It could be as simple as deciding what to eat with your family or colleagues. In my case, the grass really is greener — my neighbor is a landscaper. I look out the front window of my house and see a perfectly manicured yard year around. On one occasion, I remember he plucked a blade of grass and held it up for me to observe as he explained his methods. One of the most important factors for having the greenest lawn, in my neighbor’s opinion, was irrigation.
Plumbing engineers frequently work with landscape designers to provide water connections for irrigation. Anytime we are asked to provide a water connection, especially for an application other than human consumption, the first question we need to ask ourselves is: “What type of backflow prevention should we provide?” Irrigation is no exception. Backflow prevention is at the core of plumbing engineering — it is one of the first lines of defense when it comes to public safety.