Maintenance
Why your drip line keeps blocking
Blocked emitters are almost always a filtration problem, not a pipe problem. What causes it and what actually fixes it.
20 February 2026 · 1 min read · REDYPLAST
A drip emitter has a very small opening — that is what makes it a drip emitter. Anything in the water larger than that opening will eventually sit in it, and the line will go quiet from the far end backwards.
Three different blockages
They need different fixes, so the first job is working out which one you have. Cut open a blocked emitter and look: gritty means physical, chalky or rusty deposit means chemical, slimy means biological.
- Physical: sand, silt and grit from the borewell. Fixed by filtration.
- Chemical: iron and calcium precipitating out of hard water. Fixed by acid treatment.
- Biological: algae and slime, usually from open tanks or ponds. Fixed by shading the source and chlorination.
What actually prevents it
A filter sized to your flow, cleaned on a schedule rather than when you notice a problem. Most blockages we see come from a filter that was fitted correctly and then never cleaned.
Flush the laterals by opening the end caps and letting the line run clear at the start of the season and periodically through it. Sediment accumulates at the far end, which is exactly where you stop noticing.
Keep reading
Drip or sprinkler: which one suits your crop?
Both save water, but they suit different crops, soils and budgets. A plain comparison to help you pick before you spend.
GuidesHow to choose the right pipe size
Oversized pipe wastes money; undersized pipe starves your last sprinkler. How bore, distance and pump output fit together.
MaintenanceMaking your pipe last: UV, storage and handling
Most pipe does not fail — it is killed. Sunlight, sharp bends and bad storage account for most of the failures we see.