Tunnel Irrigation is drip irrigation built for shade-net and plastic tunnels, usually with drip tape or lines, a small headworks and sometimes a gravity-fed tank. Send one request and independent installers who may cover your area reply with kit options and prices.
Send the number and size of your tunnels and your water source to get tunnel irrigation quotes.
Get the Best QuoteWhat Tunnel Irrigation Includes
- Drip lines or tape. Laid along each bed, with dripper spacing matched to the crop.
- Small headworks. Disc or screen filter, pressure regulator, valve and often a venturi for fertiliser.
- Feed to each tunnel. A submain with a tap or valve per tunnel so tunnels can be watered separately.
- Water supply. A pump, pressure tank or an elevated tank feeding by gravity.
Who It Suits
Smallholders, emerging farmers, community projects and vegetable or herb growers running one to a few dozen tunnels.
Tunnels are lower-tech than greenhouses, so systems are simpler, cheaper and easier for a small team to run.
System Options
- Drip tape. Cheapest per metre. Suits short-season vegetables, but is usually replaced every season or two.
- Thicker drip line. Lasts several years and suits longer crops or permanent beds.
- Gravity tank feed. A raised tank gives low, steady pressure without running a pump all day. Needs low-pressure drippers.
- Pump feed. Higher, adjustable pressure and longer beds, but needs power and a pressure regulator.
Group tunnels into blocks that can be irrigated at once within your pump or tank flow.
How the Job Runs
- Site check. The installer looks at the tunnel layout, bed lengths, water source and tank height.
- Layout. Lines per bed, submain size and how many tunnels run together are worked out.
- Quote. Usually priced per tunnel kit plus headworks and supply line.
- Installation. Submains, filters and drip lines are fitted and connected to each tunnel.
- Testing. Lines are flushed and the end of each bed is checked for even flow.
Tunnel Irrigation Prices
Ballpark prices so you can sanity-check a quotation.
| Item | Ballpark price |
|---|---|
| Drip kit per tunnel (about 30 m x 10 m) | R8,000 - R25,000 |
| Replacement drip tape, per ha equivalent | R6,000 - R15,000 |
| Disc or screen filter, 2 inch | R3,500 - R12,000 |
| Venturi fertiliser injector | R1,500 - R6,000 |
| Basic controller, 4 - 24 stations | R3,000 - R25,000 |
| Solenoid valve, 50 - 80 mm, each | R1,500 - R6,000 |
| Small solar pump kit (0.5 - 1.5 kW) | R15,000 - R60,000 |
Prices JUST UPDATED. Ballpark figures, rounded, excluding VAT unless stated. They are compiled from published South African cost estimates and typical supplier and contractor rates. They are not our prices or quotations, and no contractor is bound by them. Unless a row says otherwise they exclude the water source, power supply and earthworks, so confirm exactly what each quotation includes.
Sources:
- Typical South African supplier and contractor rates
Get prices for your farm rather than a range. Send one request and compare replies.
Get the Best QuoteWhat Affects the Price
- Tunnel size and count. More beds and longer tunnels need more line.
- Tape or line. Thin-wall tape is cheaper upfront but replaced more often.
- Water supply. A new tank stand, pump or solar kit adds a lot to small projects.
- Fertiliser injection. A venturi is low cost. A dosing pump costs more.
- Distance to water. Long supply pipes from the dam or borehole add material and trenching.
Maintenance
Clean filters often and flush the ends of drip lines regularly. Check for chewed or kinked lines after each planting.
Lift and store tape carefully between crops or plan to replace it. Clean tanks to stop algae blocking drippers.
Tunnel Irrigation FAQs
Can I run tunnels from a gravity tank?
Yes, if the tank is high enough and the beds are not too long. Installers will check tank height and recommend low-pressure drippers.
How many tunnels can run at once?
It depends on the flow your pump or tank supplies. Installers split tunnels into blocks that fit the available flow.
Is tunnel irrigation different from greenhouse irrigation?
Tunnels usually use simpler drip systems with basic filtration and timers, while greenhouses often add automated dosing, recirculation and climate links.
Related Services
Request tunnel irrigation quotes through Agricultural Irrigation South Africa and compare kit prices, line types and water supply options from each installer.
Agricultural Irrigation South Africa is a quote-comparison service. We do not design, supply, install or repair irrigation systems, and we do not employ contractors. Work is quoted and carried out by independent irrigation businesses, and your contract is with the business you choose. Ask each one for a written quotation that names the equipment, design flows and pressures, preparation, timing and any warranty terms before you pay a deposit.
Tunnel Irrigation. Describe your irrigation job once and compare replies from independent contractors.
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