Q: My drip line/drip tape/drippers have been in service for many years and many of the drippers are no longer working.

A: Hard water build up is most often the culprit when drippers stop working, especially after many years of service. We know of no way of unclogging the dripper once the mineral build up has clogged the dripper. Proper filtration is pertinent to optimal operation of any drip irrigation system. For future reference, flushing your system may help reduce clogging by clearing out chemical build up before it clogs emitters. If using individual drippers you may want to try cleanable drippers, such as, Toro Cleanable Drippers; Ceta Cleanable Drippers; or Bowsmith Non-Clog Drippers.