Depending on the study, irrigation can account for 40–60% of overall water use. A Texas A&M study concludes the average landscape acre is over-watered by more than 200%. “There is nothing we do with water that uses as much or wastes as much as irrigation,” says John Taylor. “Water is a precious resource and is mounting to be one of the biggest battles that we fight in the coming years. If irrigation is the largest portion of that problem, then it needs to be the largest portion of the solution. I look for opportunities to make a difference on a daily basis.”
Taylor owns and operates Taylor Irrigation Service (TIS), a full-service irrigation company serving greater Houston. Texans are particularly keen on water conservation, given the severe drought affecting the state in recent years. For Taylor, the solution centers on the “irrigation triangle:” the relationship between water, plant, and soil. TIS provides sustainable irrigation design and installation, maintenance, auditing, inspections, and training on residential and commercial properties. For properties consuming significant water amounts, TIS creates action plans involving design work, renovation, modification, or the implementation of better programming, maintenance or follow-up. Clients uninterested in an ET-based smart controller may be open to a maintenance plan including changes to controller settings, providing a substantial return on investment by lowering water bills while promoting a healthier landscape environment combatting anaerobic soil conditions, root rot, fungus, and microbial life loss within the soil. The irrigation industry is changing fast due to drought, water consumption, technology, and regulations, Taylor says. “We are constantly monitoring everything from field technology to training, communication, and brand reputation, learning from industry trends, past mistakes, and other companies’ mistakes,” he says. “This approach keeps us on our toes, fights complacency and ensures we evolve with the industry rather than in spite of it.” Taylor was named the 2013 EPA Irrigation Partner of the Year for changing his company’s business model to design and install irrigation systems consuming as much as 50% less water than traditionally-installed systems using WaterSense design techniques and products.
What He Does Day to Day
Taylor does site visits, data analyses, and program implementation. He refines the company’s internal systems and processes for efficiency and productivity. He also lectures nationwide on water conservation.
What Led Him to This Line of Work
Taylor started by installing irrigation on Har-Tru clay tennis courts to make ends meet while attending Craven College, where he studied arts and literature. He then became a service technician. “I fell in love with working outdoors and the challenges that each new day, each new system, and each new problem brought,” notes Taylor. He sought to learn from those select few who demonstrated a mastery of the craft as well as business acumen leading to success. Taylor took on jobs as foreman, technician, senior technician, superintendent, project manager, assistant division manager, and division manager, “falling in love with water, water conservation, and water management” along the way, he says. “The earlier part of my career satisfied my want for knowledge and to provide for my family; the latter part of my career made me happy and fed my want to make a difference.”
What He Likes Best About His Work
Making a difference is what he likes best about his work. “As a company, a man, and a father, I strive to find small and large ways to make a difference every day,” he says. “A difference when it comes to water, when it comes to the way we think about irrigation, a difference to my staff in the field and in the office,” he says.
His Biggest Challenge
Combatting erroneous information is Taylor’s biggest challenge. “Rules of thumb, old wives’ tales, and a “˜this is the way we have always done it’ mentality is rampant, and to make a difference we cannot ignore these beliefs,” he says. “Finding a way to get through to homeowners, landscapers, and other irrigators is sometimes very challenging, but also is very rewarding. When it comes to water conservation, everyone wins: the state, the water purveyor, the homeowner, the contractor, and the many programs out there facilitating this knowledge and these changes.”
