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SynC · SynC Standards

Landscape Irrigation

Rev9
IssuedOct 12, 2026
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1 Scope

NOTE This standard governs the materials, installation, testing, programming, and seasonal care of an underground automatic landscape irrigation system that carries water from a defined point of connection to turf, planting beds, trees, and other landscape areas through buried piping, automatic valves, sprinkler heads, rotors, and drip emission devices under the control of an automatic controller. (1.1)
NOTE The scope begins at the irrigation point of connection, immediately downstream of the irrigation meter or the tap on the site water main, and extends through the backflow assembly location, the mainline, the zone control valves, the laterals, the emission devices, and the controller and field wiring that operate them. (1.2)
NOTE The backflow prevention assembly is specified in Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention, which governs the assembly as a product, its selection by degree of hazard, its enclosure, and its testing and certification; this standard locates the assembly in the irrigation layout and governs the point of connection and everything downstream of the assembly. (1.3)
NOTE An irrigation system rarely fails in a way anyone notices on the day it is accepted. It fails over the first two seasons as a zone that mixes sprays and rotors produces dry rings and runoff at the same time, as a splice made outside a valve box corrodes and a zone goes dead, as a lateral pulled under a sidewalk with no sleeve is cut by the next utility, and as a controller left on a fixed schedule waters through the rain. The metered water those defects waste is a continuing cost to the Owner for the life of the landscape, and the plant loss they cause is charged back to the planting contractor who could not keep the material alive. This standard sets the material quality, the installation rules, and the tests that keep those failures out of the finished work. (1.4)
NOTE The hydraulic and horticultural design of the system is the irrigation designer's and is carried on the irrigation drawings: the water demand, the hydrozone boundaries, the head and emitter selection and spacing, the nozzle assignments, the zone grouping, the design flow and operating pressure of each zone, the pipe sizes, and the point of connection sizing. (1.5)
NOTE The following are outside this standard: (1.6)
  • The backflow assembly as a product, its hazard-based selection, its enclosure, and its testing and certification, under Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention
  • The water service, meter, and site mains upstream of the point of connection, under Water Distribution PipingSite Water Distribution PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/water-distribution-piping and Site UtilitiesSite UtilitiesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/site-utilities, and building distribution piping under Domestic Water PipingDomestic Water PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/domestic-water-piping
  • Trench excavation, shoring, dewatering, backfill above the pipe zone, and compaction, under EarthworkEarthworkResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/earthwork
  • Plant material, topsoil, soil amendments, seeding, sodding, mulch, and the establishment period, under Planting And Soil PreparationPlanting and Soil PreparationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/planting-and-soil-preparation
  • Temporary erosion and sediment control and temporary stabilization, under Erosion And Sediment ControlErosion and Sediment ControlResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/erosion-and-sediment-control
  • Treatment, storage, and pumping of a reclaimed, rainwater, graywater, well, or surface-water supply upstream of the point of connection, and irrigation booster pumps, which no SynC standard currently covers
1.7 Head and emitter locations, spacing, pop-up heights, nozzle assignments, emitter flow rates, zone boundaries, zone flows and operating pressures, pipe sizes, and routing shall be as indicated on the irrigation plan, legend, and zone schedule.
1.8 The Contractor shall install the system as designed and shall not change head spacing, nozzle assignments, zone grouping, or pipe size without the irrigation designer's written direction.
1.9 The Contractor shall report to the irrigation designer, before trenching in the affected area, any field condition that would prevent the system from being built as drawn, including a static pressure or flow at the point of connection below the design basis, a conflict with another utility, insufficient cover, and a coverage gap created by a hardscape or planting change made after the irrigation design was completed.
1.10 The Contractor shall coordinate work under this standard with Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention for the assembly at the point of connection, with Water Distribution PipingSite Water Distribution PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/water-distribution-piping for the meter and tap upstream of it, with EarthworkEarthworkResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/earthwork for trench excavation and backfill above the pipe zone, with Planting And Soil PreparationPlanting and Soil PreparationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/planting-and-soil-preparation for the sequence of irrigation and planting and for establishment watering, with Erosion And Sediment ControlErosion and Sediment ControlResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/erosion-and-sediment-control for the transition from temporary stabilization to permanent vegetation, and with the paving scopes for sleeve placement before paving.

2 Referenced Standards

2.1 Materials, components, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
2.2 Where the Contract Documents, the Authority Having Jurisdiction, the water purveyor, and a referenced standard impose conflicting requirements, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the irrigation designer directs otherwise in writing.
Standard Title
ASTM D1784 Rigid Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Compounds and Chlorinated Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (CPVC) Compounds
ASTM D1785 Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Pipe, Schedules 40, 80, and 120
ASTM D2241 Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Pressure-Rated Pipe (SDR Series)
AWWA C900 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Pressure Pipe and Fabricated Fittings, 4 In. Through 60 In.
ASTM D2466 Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Pipe Fittings, Schedule 40
ASTM D2467 Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Pipe Fittings, Schedule 80
ASTM D2464 Threaded Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Pipe Fittings, Schedule 80
ASTM D2564 Solvent Cements for Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Piping Systems
ASTM F656 Primers for Use in Solvent Cement Joints of Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Pipe and Fittings
ASTM D2855 Two-Step (Primer and Solvent Cement) Method of Joining Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) or Chlorinated Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (CPVC) Pipe and Piping Components with Tapered Sockets
ASTM D3139 Joints for Plastic Pressure Pipes Using Flexible Elastomeric Seals
ASTM F477 Elastomeric Seals (Gaskets) for Joining Plastic Pipe
ASTM D2239 Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Pipe (SIDR-PR) Based on Controlled Inside Diameter
ASTM D3035 Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Pipe (DR-PR) Based on Controlled Outside Diameter
ASTM D3350 Polyethylene Plastics Pipe and Fittings Materials
ASTM D2609 Plastic Insert Fittings for Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Pipe
ASTM D2683 Socket-Type Polyethylene Fittings for Outside Diameter-Controlled Polyethylene Pipe and Tubing
ASTM D3261 Butt Heat Fusion Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Fittings for Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Pipe and Tubing
ASTM F2620 Heat Fusion Joining of Polyethylene Pipe and Fittings
ASTM D2774 Underground Installation of Thermoplastic Pressure Piping
ANSI/ASABE S376 Design, Installation and Performance of Underground, Thermoplastic Irrigation Pipelines
ASABE/ICC 802 Landscape Irrigation Sprinkler and Emitter Standard
EPA WaterSense Specification for Weather-Based Irrigation Controllers
EPA WaterSense Specification for Soil Moisture-Based Irrigation Controllers
EPA WaterSense Specification for Spray Sprinkler Bodies
NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 Drinking Water System Components: Health Effects
NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 Drinking Water System Components: Lead Content
UL 1951 Electric Plumbing Accessories
NFPA 70 National Electrical Code
ASIC Guideline 100 Earth Grounding Electronic Equipment in Irrigation Systems (American Society of Irrigation Consultants)
IA BMP Landscape Irrigation Best Management Practices (Irrigation Association)

3 Submittals

3.1 Action Submittals

3.1.1 The Contractor shall submit the following for the irrigation designer's review before the material it describes is procured:
  • Product data for each pipe and fitting, giving the material, the ASTM or AWWA designation, the pressure class or schedule, the joining method, and the potable-contact certification where the supply is potable
  • Product data for each isolation valve, zone control valve, master valve, quick-coupling valve, and drain valve, giving the body and seat materials, the pressure rating, the solenoid type, and the flow control and pressure regulation features
  • Product data for each spray body, rotor, and nozzle, with the manufacturer's performance table of radius, flow, and precipitation rate at the design operating pressure and the matched-precipitation nozzle sets by arc
  • Product data for each drip component, giving the emitter flow rate and spacing, the pressure compensation range, the regulator setting, the filter type and fineness, and the air relief and flush devices
  • Product data for the controller, giving the WaterSense label where one is required, the station capacity, the surge protection, the enclosure rating, and the communication method
  • Product data for the flow sensor, the rain and freeze sensors, and any soil moisture sensors, with the controller compatibility listing for each
  • Product data for valve boxes, giving the size, the load rating, and the lid color and marking
  • Product data for control conductors, splice connectors, and grounding components
  • Product data for sleeves and for detectable marking tape or tracer wire
  • A zone schedule prepared by the Contractor listing each zone number, its emission device type, its design flow and operating pressure, its controller station, and the hydrozone it serves
  • A record drawing procedure describing how the Contractor will keep a current field markup of mainline routing, valve, sleeve, and splice locations, and wire paths
Action Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Pipe and fitting product data
☑ Valve product data
☑ Spray body, rotor, and nozzle product data with performance tables
☑ Drip component product data
☑ Controller product data
☑ Sensor product data with controller compatibility listing
☑ Valve box product data
☑ Control conductor, splice, and grounding product data
☐ Sleeve and locating material product data
☑ Contractor zone schedule
☑ Record drawing procedure
3.1.2 Installation of any component shall not begin until the submittal describing it has been reviewed and returned.
3.1.3 Review of a submittal does not relieve the Contractor of responsibility for compliance with the Contract Documents.

3.2 Informational Submittals

3.2.1 The Contractor shall submit the following before the work each one supports begins:
  • The static pressure and flow measurement at the point of connection, with the date, time, method, and instrument used and the design basis it is compared against
  • The control conductor sizing for the longest run on each controller, showing the voltage delivered to the most distant solenoid
  • The qualification records of the installing superintendent and of each person who will make heat fusion joints
  • The proposed winterization procedure, including the blow-out connection location and the air pressure limit for each pipe material installed
Informational Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Point of connection pressure and flow measurement
☑ Control conductor sizing
☑ Superintendent and fusion joiner qualification records
☐ Winterization procedure

3.3 Closeout Submittals

3.3.1 The Contractor shall submit the following before substantial completion:
  • Record drawings showing the installed mainline and lateral routing, every isolation, zone control, master, quick-coupling, and drain valve with its station number, the flow sensor, every sleeve with its size and contents, every splice location, and the control wire routing, located by the method specified in this standard
  • The controller programming record, listing for every station the run time, start times, watering days, cycle and soak settings, seasonal adjustment or ET source, and the rain, freeze, and flow sensor responses as left at turnover
  • A laminated zone map identifying each station number and the area it serves, installed inside the controller enclosure
  • Test reports for the mainline hydrostatic test, the lateral flushing, the operational test of every zone, the coverage verification, and the sensor demonstrations, signed by the Contractor's superintendent and by the witness
  • The backflow assembly certification report required under Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention, included so the irrigation closeout package is complete
  • Operation and maintenance manuals for the controller, sensors, valves, emission devices, and drip components, including the manufacturer's seasonal start-up and winterization instructions
  • Manufacturer warranties for every product that carries one, assigned to the Owner
  • A signed receipt from the Owner for the spare parts and tools delivered
Closeout Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Record drawings
☑ Controller programming record
☑ Laminated zone map in the controller
☑ Test reports
☑ Backflow assembly certification report
☑ Operation and maintenance manuals
☑ Manufacturer warranties
☑ Spare parts receipt

4 Quality Assurance

4.1 Installer Qualifications

4.1.1 The irrigation system shall be installed by a firm regularly engaged in commercial landscape irrigation installation that has completed not fewer than three systems of comparable size within the preceding five years.
4.1.2 Where the jurisdiction licenses irrigation contractors or requires a certified irrigation technician on the work, the Contractor shall hold that license or shall employ the certified personnel the jurisdiction requires.
4.1.3 Heat fusion joints in polyethylene pipe shall be made only by personnel who have completed the pipe or fitting manufacturer's training for the fusion method and equipment used.
4.1.4 The Contractor shall keep a superintendent experienced in commercial irrigation on the site whenever irrigation work is in progress.

4.2 Pre-Installation Conference

4.2.1 Before irrigation work begins, the Contractor shall convene a conference attended by the Contractor's irrigation superintendent, the irrigation designer, the general contractor's site superintendent, the planting contractor, and the paving contractor.
4.2.2 The conference shall review the point of connection arrangement and the measured pressure and flow, the zone schedule, the sleeve locations and the paving sequence, the controller location and its power source, the record drawing procedure, and the sequence of irrigation work relative to grading, paving, and planting.

4.3 Verification of Supply Pressure and Flow

4.3.1 Before any piping is installed, the Contractor shall measure the static pressure and the available flow at the point of connection and shall compare them with the design basis stated on the irrigation drawings and with Site Water Supply Pressure MaximumSite Water Supply Pressure MaximumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-water-supply-pressure-maximum.
NOTE Every spray body, rotor, and emitter is rated at a design operating pressure, and a system designed for a static pressure the site does not deliver under-performs at every zone; the discrepancy costs a redesign before trenching and a rebuild after it. (4.3.2)
4.3.3 The Contractor shall report a measured static pressure or flow below the design basis, or a static pressure above the rating of any component on the submittals, to the irrigation designer before proceeding.

4.4 Field Changes and Substitutions

4.4.1 The Contractor shall not substitute a nozzle, emitter, or head model for the one assigned on the irrigation legend without the irrigation designer's written acceptance of the substitute's performance table.
4.4.2 Where a hardscape edge, a planting change, or an obstruction prevents a head from being set at its designed location, the Contractor shall report the condition to the irrigation designer rather than relocate the head or omit it.
4.4.3 Where the parties disagree whether a field condition prevents the system from being built as drawn, the irrigation designer shall make the initial determination.

5 Water Supply and Site Conditions

5.1 Irrigation Water Supply

5.1.1 The source of the irrigation supply shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Irrigation Water Supplyselect
Potable supply through a dedicated irrigation meter
Potable supply tapped from the building water service
Reclaimed or recycled water supply
Harvested rainwater or stormwater
On-site well
Surface water from a pond, lake, or canal
Per drawings — the point of connection detail on the irrigation plan (deferred by default)
NOTE A dedicated irrigation meter puts the landscape water on its own bill, which many purveyors price without the sewer charge, and gives the system a point of connection that does not share flow with the building; a tap off the building service saves the meter and its fees where the purveyor permits it, at the cost of sharing supply pressure with building demand. A reclaimed supply is the lowest-cost water where a purveyor offers it and brings the marking, separation, and hazard-signage rules of the jurisdiction's reclaimed water program with it. Harvested rainwater, well water, and surface water each carry sediment, algae, or dissolved minerals that set the filtration the drip zones need and may need treatment or a booster pump that is outside this standard. (5.1.2)
5.1.3 Where the supply is potable, every pipe, fitting, valve, and appurtenance between the point of connection and the backflow assembly shall be certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372.
5.1.4 Where the supply is potable, the Contractor shall evaluate Site Water Supply HardnessSite Water Supply HardnessParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-water-supply-hardness against the emitter manufacturer's published scaling limit and shall report an exceedance to the irrigation designer before drip components are ordered.
5.1.5 Where the supply is a well, surface water, or harvested water, the Contractor shall obtain a water analysis for suspended solids and iron and shall submit it with the drip filtration product data.

5.2 Reclaimed and Non-Potable Supply

5.2.1 Requirements in this article apply where the datasheet selects a reclaimed, recycled, harvested, well, or surface-water supply.
5.2.2 Where a non-potable supply is selected, all pipe shall be purple or shall carry continuous purple identification tape, and all valve box lids shall be purple and embossed or labeled with a non-potable warning, in accordance with the jurisdiction's reclaimed water program.
5.2.3 Where a non-potable supply is selected, quick-coupling valves shall be of a non-interchangeable key type that does not accept a potable-system coupler.
5.2.4 Where a non-potable supply is selected, non-potable piping shall be separated from potable piping by the horizontal and vertical distances Adopted Plumbing CodeAdopted Plumbing CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-plumbing-code requires, and shall be installed below potable piping where the two cross.
5.2.5 Where a non-potable supply is selected, the Contractor shall post the warning signage the jurisdiction's reclaimed water program requires at the controller and at each quick-coupling valve.
NOTE The reclaimed water program also sets the hours during which reclaimed water may be applied and the setbacks from drinking fountains, outdoor eating areas, and property lines, and the controller program and the head layout both have to honor them. (5.2.6)

5.3 Freezing Climate

5.3.1 Where Site Ambient Temperature MinimumSite Ambient Temperature MinimumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-minimum is below 32°F, the system shall be arranged to be winterized each season as specified in this standard, with a blow-out connection and drain provisions at the point of connection and with the mainline and laterals graded or drainable to the extent the winterization method requires.
5.3.2 Where Frost DepthFrost DepthParameterEach project supplies its own value.frost-depth exceeds the mainline cover indicated in the datasheet, burial shall not be relied on as the freeze protection for the piping, and the winterization method shall remove the water from the pipe before the ground freezes.
NOTE Irrigation piping is laid above the frost line on nearly every site because burying a lateral grid below it would cost more than the system, so the pipe survives the winter by being emptied rather than by being deep; the frost depth matters because it says how little protection the cover gives, not because the pipe is placed below it. (5.3.3)

5.4 Soil Intake and Slope

5.4.1 The emission devices on each zone and the cycle and soak settings on each station shall be those the irrigation drawings assign, and the Contractor shall report any finished slope steeper than the grading plan shows in an irrigated area.
NOTE Water applied faster than the soil absorbs it runs off, and on a slope it runs off downhill onto the pavement below; the designer answers that with lower-precipitation rotors or rotary nozzles, with drip, or with cycle and soak scheduling that splits the run time into pulses the soil can take, and a finished slope steeper than the design assumed defeats all three. (5.4.2)

6 Point of Connection

6.1 Point of Connection Arrangement

6.1.1 The point of connection shall be made downstream of the irrigation meter or at the tap indicated on the site water distribution drawings, and its location and arrangement shall be as indicated on the point of connection detail on the irrigation plan.
6.1.2 The point of connection assembly shall include, in order of flow, an isolation valve, the backflow prevention assembly, a blow-out connection where winterization is required, the master valve where one is selected, the flow sensor where one is selected, and the pressure-reducing valve where one is selected.
6.1.3 The point of connection assembly shall be supported independently of the buried mainline so that the weight of the backflow assembly and valves is carried to grade rather than by the pipe.
6.1.4 A drain valve shall be provided at the low point of the point of connection assembly, discharging to a gravel sump or to daylight.

6.2 Backflow Prevention Boundary

6.2.1 The backflow prevention assembly at the point of connection shall be furnished, selected for the degree of hazard, installed, enclosed, tested, and certified under Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention.
NOTE Under Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention, a landscape irrigation connection is classed by the degree of hazard the irrigation system presents to the supply, and the assembly type follows from that class and from whether the irrigation system can produce back-pressure; a fertilizer or chemical injector, or a booster pump downstream of the assembly, raises the hazard class and changes the assembly. (6.2.2)
6.2.3 The backflow assembly shall be located in the irrigation layout as indicated on the point of connection detail on the irrigation plan, with the clearances for testing and the drainage for a relief-valve discharge that Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention requires.
6.2.4 The Contractor shall not pressurize the irrigation mainline until the backflow assembly has passed the certification test required under Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention.
6.2.5 Where a chemical or fertilizer injector is added to the irrigation system at any time, the Contractor shall notify the irrigation designer so the hazard classification of the assembly can be re-evaluated under Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention.

6.3 Pressure Regulation

NOTE Spray nozzles fed above their design pressure break the stream into a mist that drifts and evaporates before it lands, rotors fed above theirs overspeed and wear, and every joint and valve downstream sees the excess for the life of the system. Regulation can be applied once at the point of connection, at each zone valve, in each spray body, or at more than one of those levels, and the levels are independent of one another. (6.3.1)
6.3.2 A pressure-reducing valve at the point of connection shall be provided or omitted as indicated in the datasheet.
Pressure-Reducing Valve at the Point of Connectionradio
○ Provided
○ Not provided
Derived — Site Water Supply Pressure MaximumSite Water Supply Pressure MaximumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-water-supply-pressure-maximum compared against the maximum operating pressure of the lowest-rated component downstream of the point of connection (by default)
6.3.3 Where a pressure-reducing valve is provided at the point of connection, it shall be installed in a valve box with an isolation valve on each side and a pressure gauge port downstream, and shall be set to the mainline design pressure stated on the irrigation drawings.
6.3.4 Pressure regulation at each zone control valve shall be provided or omitted as indicated in the datasheet.
Zone Valve Pressure Regulationradio
○ Pressure-regulating module on every zone control valve
○ Pressure-regulating module on drip zone control valves
○ No zone valve pressure regulation
NOTE A regulating module on every zone valve holds each zone at its own design pressure regardless of the mainline pressure and elevation, at the cost of a module per valve; regulating the drip zones alone covers the devices with the narrowest pressure tolerance and leaves the spray and rotor zones to the point of connection or to the spray bodies; no zone regulation suits a site where the mainline pressure is already held close to the design pressure of every zone. (6.3.5)

6.4 Master Valve and Flow Sensor

6.4.1 A master valve shall be provided on the mainline as indicated in the datasheet.
Master Valveradio
● Normally closed master valve
○ Normally open master valve
○ No master valve
NOTE A normally closed master valve keeps the mainline unpressurized except while a zone is running, so a mainline break or a stuck zone valve leaks for one cycle instead of for the days until someone notices; it depends on a controller output and fails closed, which stops the system if the controller or the valve wiring fails. A normally open master valve leaves the mainline pressurized and closes only when the controller commands a shutdown on a flow alarm, so a controller fault leaves the system able to run; it gives no protection against a mainline break while the controller is idle. Omitting the master valve suits a short mainline with few joints where the Owner accepts the leak exposure in exchange for the simplest system. (6.4.2)
6.4.3 Where a master valve is provided, it shall be a diaphragm valve of the same construction and rating as the zone control valves, sized for the full mainline flow, and installed in a valve box immediately downstream of the backflow assembly unless the irrigation drawings locate it elsewhere.
6.4.4 A mainline flow sensor shall be provided as indicated in the datasheet.
Mainline Flow Sensorradio
○ Provided
○ Not provided
NOTE A flow sensor lets the controller learn the normal flow of each zone and recognize a broken lateral or sheared head as flow above it and a clogged zone or stuck-closed valve as flow below it; with a master valve the controller can then close the mainline on a high-flow alarm. It costs the sensor, a controller that reads it, and a straight pipe run on each side to read accurately. Without one, a leak is found by the water bill or by the wet spot. (6.4.5)
6.4.6 Where a flow sensor is provided, it shall be installed on the mainline downstream of the master valve in a valve box, with the straight upstream and downstream pipe lengths the sensor manufacturer publishes, and shall be wired to the controller.
6.4.7 Where both a flow sensor and a master valve are provided, the controller shall be programmed to close the master valve and raise an alarm on a zone flow that exceeds the learned flow by the margin set during commissioning.

7 Mainline and Lateral Piping

7.1 Pipe Material Selection

NOTE The mainline is pressurized continuously between the point of connection and the zone valves, so it carries the full static pressure and every surge for the life of the system; a lateral is pressurized only while its zone runs, and it is also the pipe most often cut by a planting spade, so the two are selected separately. (7.1.1)
7.1.2 The mainline pipe material shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Mainline Pipe Materialselect
PVC Schedule 40, ASTM D1785
PVC Class 200, SDR 21, ASTM D2241
PVC Class 315, SDR 13.5, ASTM D2241
PVC DR 18, AWWA C900
Polyethylene, ASTM D2239
Polyethylene, ASTM D3035
NOTE Schedule 40 PVC carries a wall thickness that falls off in pressure rating as the diameter grows, so it is the heavy, cheap choice in small mainlines and the thin one above 3 in.; Class 200 and Class 315 PVC hold a constant pressure rating at every diameter and are joined by solvent cement or by gaskets, so they are the usual mainline above 2 in. and the Class 315 wall is the answer where the static pressure or the surge margin is high; AWWA C900 DR 18 is the gasketed water-main pipe, used for a long or large irrigation mainline where the pipe has to tolerate thermal movement and rock without a glued joint every 20 ft. Polyethylene survives a freeze with water left in it, pulls through a bored path, and bends around a tree without a fitting, and it is the mainline material across the northern states and on rocky sites; its insert joints are the limit on its pressure and its diameter, and its fused joints need qualified personnel. (7.1.3)
7.1.4 The lateral pipe material shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Lateral Pipe Materialselect
PVC Class 160, SDR 26, ASTM D2241
PVC Class 200, SDR 21, ASTM D2241
PVC Class 315, SDR 13.5, ASTM D2241
PVC Schedule 40, ASTM D1785
Polyethylene, ASTM D2239
Polyethylene, ASTM D3035
NOTE Class 200 PVC is the lateral in most of the sunbelt because a lateral never sees more than the zone operating pressure and the thinner wall is the lower cost; Class 160 saves a little more where the operating pressure is low and the pipe is 1-1/2 in. and larger, and Class 315 or Schedule 40 earns its wall where a small lateral is pressure-regulated at the valve but still sees a high static pressure, or where the lateral is shallow and gets hit. Polyethylene laterals are the lateral in freezing climates and wherever laterals are pulled in with a vibratory plow rather than trenched, since the coil goes in without a joint between heads. (7.1.5)
7.1.6 Where the irrigation drawings state a pipe material or class for a specific run that differs from the datasheet, the drawings shall govern for that run.
7.1.7 Every pipe installed under pressure shall carry the manufacturer's name, the nominal size, the applicable ASTM or AWWA designation, the pressure rating or schedule, and, where the supply is potable, the NSF mark.
7.1.8 Cellular-core PVC, drain-waste-vent pipe, sewer pipe, and any pipe without a pressure rating shall not be installed in any pressurized irrigation line.

7.2 PVC Pipe and Fittings

7.2.1 Requirements in this article apply where the datasheet selects a PVC material for the mainline or the laterals.
7.2.2 PVC pipe shall be manufactured from a Class 12454 compound conforming to ASTM D1784.
7.2.3 The joining method for PVC mainline pipe shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
PVC Mainline Joint Typeradio
○ Solvent-cemented socket joints
○ Gasketed bell-and-spigot joints
NOTE A solvent-cemented joint is rigid and restrained, so it needs no thrust blocking and is the joint on every small mainline, but every joint has to cure before it sees pressure and the rigid line carries thermal stress; a gasketed joint accepts thermal movement and misalignment and goes together in wet weather, and it is the joint on long and large mainlines, at the cost of thrust blocks or restrained fittings at every change of direction and a minimum diameter below which gasketed pipe is not made. (7.2.4)
7.2.5 Solvent-cemented joints in PVC laterals and in PVC mainline where selected shall be made with socket fittings conforming to ASTM D2466 for Schedule 40 fittings or ASTM D2467 for Schedule 80 fittings, with solvent cement conforming to ASTM D2564 and primer conforming to ASTM F656, by the two-step method of ASTM D2855.
7.2.6 Every solvent-cemented joint shall be primed before cement is applied, and one-step cement without primer shall not be used on buried pressure piping.
NOTE The primer softens and cleans the mating surfaces so the cement fuses them; cement applied to an unprimed socket sits on the surface and makes a joint that holds the test and lets go a season later. (7.2.7)
7.2.8 A solvent-cemented joint shall not be pressurized, backfilled, or moved before the cure time the cement manufacturer publishes for the pipe size and the ambient temperature has elapsed.
7.2.9 Gasketed joints shall conform to ASTM D3139 with gaskets conforming to ASTM F477, shall be assembled with the lubricant the pipe manufacturer supplies, and shall be inserted to the depth mark and no farther.
7.2.10 Gasketed PVC mainline shall be restrained against thrust at every bend, tee, reducer, dead end, and valve by a concrete thrust block or by restrained joint fittings sized for the test pressure.
7.2.11 Threaded connections at valves, swing joints, and transitions shall be made with Schedule 80 threaded fittings conforming to ASTM D2464, sealed with PTFE tape or a non-hardening thread sealant compatible with PVC, and tightened by hand plus the turns the fitting manufacturer publishes.
NOTE Threaded Schedule 40 PVC splits at the root of the thread under the hoop stress of tightening, which is why the thread is cut only in the thicker Schedule 80 wall. (7.2.12)
7.2.13 PVC pipe and fittings shall be stored under cover or shaded until installed.

7.3 Polyethylene Pipe and Fittings

7.3.1 Requirements in this article apply where the datasheet selects a polyethylene material for the mainline or the laterals.
7.3.2 Polyethylene pipe shall conform to ASTM D2239 or ASTM D3035 as selected, manufactured from a compound conforming to ASTM D3350, and shall carry a pressure rating not less than the design pressure of the line.
7.3.3 The joining method for polyethylene mainline pipe shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Polyethylene Mainline Joint Typeselect
Insert fittings with stainless steel clamps
Compression fittings
Butt heat fusion
Socket or electrofusion
NOTE Insert fittings with clamps are the joint every irrigation crew makes in polyethylene up to 2 in., and each insert reduces the bore at the fitting and relies on the clamp staying tight; compression fittings grip the outside of the pipe and leave the bore intact, and they are the usual transition to a valve or a PVC fitting; butt fusion makes a joint as strong as the pipe with no fitting inside it and is the joint on a large or long polyethylene mainline, at the cost of fusion equipment and trained personnel; socket and electrofusion fittings fuse without a facing machine and suit a repair or a tight spot. (7.3.4)
7.3.5 Insert fittings shall conform to ASTM D2609 and shall be secured with the number of stainless steel clamps the fitting manufacturer requires and with not fewer than two clamps per insert on mainline joints.
7.3.6 Heat fusion joints shall be made with fittings conforming to ASTM D2683 or ASTM D3261 by the procedure of ASTM F2620, at the ambient temperatures the pipe manufacturer permits, and shall be left undisturbed for the cooling time the procedure requires.
7.3.7 Polyethylene laterals shall be joined with insert fittings conforming to ASTM D2609 and stainless steel clamps unless the irrigation drawings indicate another method.
7.3.8 Polyethylene pipe shall be snaked in the trench with slack for thermal contraction and shall not be pulled taut between fittings.
NOTE Polyethylene contracts enough on a cold night to pull a taut run out of an insert fitting, and the slack laid into the trench on a warm afternoon is what keeps the joint together in January. (7.3.9)

8 Valves and Valve Boxes

8.1 Isolation Valves

8.1.1 Isolation valves shall be provided at the point of connection, at the take-off of each mainline branch serving a group of zones, on each side of a pressure-reducing valve, and at the locations indicated on the irrigation plan.
8.1.2 The isolation valve type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Isolation Valve Typeselect
Bronze gate valve
Resilient-seated gate valve
Brass ball valve
PVC true-union ball valve
Butterfly valve
NOTE A bronze gate valve is the long-standing irrigation isolation valve in sizes to 2 in., closes gradually enough not to hammer the mainline, and is operated with a key through a box; a resilient-seated gate valve is the water-works valve for mainlines 3 in. and larger and seals bubble-tight after years in the ground; a brass ball valve closes in a quarter turn, which is convenient at a blow-out connection and a surge risk on a long mainline; a PVC true-union ball valve matches the pipe, is unbolted for replacement without cutting, and is the lowest-cost valve where the pressure is moderate and the box protects it from sunlight; a butterfly valve is compact at 4 in. and above and needs a gear operator to close slowly. (8.1.3)
8.1.4 Isolation valves shall be rated for not less than the mainline test pressure, installed in a valve box, and provided with an operating key or wheel reachable through the box.

8.2 Zone Control Valves

8.2.1 Each zone shall be controlled by an electrically actuated diaphragm valve that opens when its controller station energizes the solenoid and closes when the station de-energizes.
8.2.2 Zone control valves shall be globe or angle pattern, rated for not less than the mainline test pressure, and shall include a manual internal or external bleed for operating the zone without the controller.
8.2.3 The zone control valve body material shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Zone Control Valve Body Materialselect
Glass-filled nylon
PVC
Brass or bronze
NOTE Glass-filled nylon is the body of nearly every commercial zone valve because it holds its shape under pressure and heat, resists the chemicals in reclaimed water, and costs a fraction of a metal body; a PVC body is lighter in price and strength and suits low-pressure zones; a brass or bronze body is the answer where the static pressure exceeds the plastic valve's rating or where the Owner wants a valve that survives a hundred years of key wrenches. (8.2.4)
8.2.5 A flow control stem on each zone control valve shall be provided or omitted as indicated in the datasheet.
Zone Valve Flow Control Stemradio
● Flow control stem on every zone control valve
○ No flow control stem
NOTE The flow control stem lets a zone be throttled to the pressure its heads want and lets a leaking valve be closed by hand without a key; it costs little and is on most commercial valves, and it is left off where every zone is pressure-regulated and the Owner's staff will never balance a zone. (8.2.6)
8.2.7 The solenoid type on each zone control valve shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Zone Valve Solenoid Typeradio
○ 24 VAC solenoid
○ DC latching solenoid
Derived — the controller type selected in the datasheet, with a DC latching solenoid where a battery-operated controller is selected (by default)
8.2.8 Only one type of emission device shall be served by any one zone control valve, and spray bodies, rotors, and drip devices shall not be mixed on a zone.
NOTE Sprays, rotors, and drip apply water at precipitation rates that differ by an order of magnitude, so no single run time can water a zone that mixes them; whichever device the run time is set for, the others are drowned or starved. (8.2.9)
8.2.10 Zone control valves shall be installed in valve boxes with not less than 2 in. of clearance between the valve and the box wall on every side and with the solenoid accessible from above.

8.3 Quick-Coupling Valves

8.3.1 Quick-coupling valves shall be provided on the mainline at the locations indicated on the irrigation plan.
8.3.2 Quick-coupling valves shall be brass or bronze with a locking rubber cover, connected to the mainline on a swing joint, and installed in a valve box or on a stabilizer stake with the cover at finished grade.
8.3.3 Where the supply is non-potable, quick-coupling valves shall be of the non-interchangeable key type specified in this standard.

8.4 Valve Boxes

8.4.1 Every zone control valve, isolation valve, master valve, pressure-reducing valve, flow sensor, drain valve, wire splice, and drip zone control assembly shall be installed in a valve box.
8.4.2 Valve boxes shall be high-density polyethylene or structural-foam polypropylene with a bolt-down or locking lid, sized so the valve and its wiring can be serviced without excavating around the box.
8.4.3 The valve box load rating shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Valve Box Load Ratingselect
Standard duty
Heavy duty
Traffic rated
NOTE A standard-duty box carries foot traffic and mowers and is the box in turf and beds; a heavy-duty box carries an occasional light vehicle and is set at the edge of a drive or a service path; a traffic-rated box is set in a pavement or a drive and is the box wherever a vehicle can park on the lid. (8.4.4)
8.4.5 Valve boxes set in a pavement, a drive, or a parking area shall be traffic rated regardless of the datasheet selection.
8.4.6 Valve boxes shall be set on a bed of clean gravel not less than 4 in. deep that extends the full footprint of the box, with the gravel below the valve and the splices.
NOTE A box set on soil fills with water and silt from the bottom, and the valve and splices sit in mud for the life of the system; the gravel drains the box and carries it on firm ground so it does not settle. (8.4.7)
8.4.8 Valve boxes shall be set with the lid flush with finished grade in turf and at paving, and 2 in. above the finished soil grade in mulched planting beds.
8.4.9 Valve box lids shall be marked to identify the contents as a zone valve, master valve, isolation valve, or splice, and zone valve lids shall carry the station number.

9 Sprinkler Heads and Rotors

9.1 Spray Bodies and Nozzles

9.1.1 Spray bodies shall be pop-up bodies with a retraction spring, a wiper seal, and a filter screen under the nozzle, in the pop-up heights and with the nozzle assignments the irrigation legend assigns.
9.1.2 Spray bodies shall be pressure-regulating or non-regulating as indicated in the datasheet.
Spray Body Pressure Regulationradio
● Pressure-regulating spray bodies carrying the WaterSense label
○ Non-regulating spray bodies
NOTE A pressure-regulating body holds its nozzle at the nozzle's design pressure whatever the lateral pressure is, which removes the misting a high-pressure zone produces and is the single largest efficiency gain available on a spray zone; WaterSense labels the bodies that meet its regulation test, and several states and water-efficient landscape ordinances require the label on new spray bodies. A non-regulating body costs less and performs identically where the zone pressure is already held at the nozzle design pressure by a regulating zone valve. (9.1.3)
9.1.4 Check valves in spray bodies shall be provided as indicated in the datasheet.
Spray Body Check Valvesselect
Integral check valve in every spray body
Integral check valve in spray bodies at the low points of each zone
No spray body check valves
NOTE A check valve holds the water in the lateral when the zone shuts off, so the low heads do not drain the lateral onto the pavement after every cycle and the zone does not have to refill before the high heads come up; a check in every body is the simplest to specify and costs a few dollars a head, a check at the low heads alone catches the drainage where it happens on a sloped site and depends on the installer putting it in the right heads, and no check valves suits a level site where a lateral holds its water on its own. (9.1.5)
9.1.6 Nozzles shall be the matched-precipitation-rate nozzles assigned on the irrigation legend, so that every head on a zone applies water at the same rate regardless of its arc.
NOTE A quarter-circle head and a full-circle head on the same zone cover areas that differ by four times, so unless the full-circle nozzle passes four times the flow the corner gets four times the water of the open turf; the designer matches the nozzle flow to the arc, and a substituted nozzle undoes it. (9.1.7)
9.1.8 Spray bodies on a zone that includes a rotary nozzle shall carry the inlet pressure regulation the rotary nozzle manufacturer requires.

9.2 Gear-Driven Rotors

9.2.1 Rotors shall be gear-driven pop-up rotors with a retraction spring, a wiper seal, an adjustable arc, and interchangeable nozzles, with the nozzle set the irrigation legend assigns.
9.2.2 Rotor riser construction shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Rotor Riser Constructionradio
○ Plastic riser
○ Stainless steel riser sleeve
NOTE A plastic riser is the standard rotor and the lower cost; a stainless steel sleeve over the riser resists the vandal who pries at a head on a public frontage and the mower that catches a head set a little high, and it is specified in parks, streetscapes, and athletic turf. (9.2.3)
9.2.4 Rotors shall include a check valve where the irrigation legend indicates one and on every rotor on a zone with more than 5 ft of elevation change.
9.2.5 Rotors shall be set with the arc and radius adjusted so the throw reaches the adjacent heads and water does not land on pavement, walls, or glazing.

9.3 Head Connections and Swing Joints

9.3.1 Every spray body and rotor shall be connected to its lateral through a flexible or articulated swing joint, and no head shall be installed on a rigid riser directly into a lateral fitting.
NOTE The swing joint lets the head be set to grade and plumb, and it takes the kick, the mower wheel, and the truck tire without transmitting the load to the lateral tee; a head on a rigid nipple snaps the tee the first time it is hit, and the break is under the ground where it is found only by the wet spot. (9.3.2)
9.3.3 The spray body connection shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Spray Body Connectionselect
Flexible polyethylene swing pipe with spiral barb fittings
Preassembled swing joint with O-ring sealed joints
Triple swing joint assembled from threaded street elbows and nipples
NOTE Flexible swing pipe is the spray connection on most work because it is cut to length, bends to any position, and absorbs a load in every direction; a preassembled swing joint gives a spray body a rigid setting that stays plumb under repeated traffic; a triple swing joint built from street elbows is the field-assembled version of the same thing and relies on three threaded joints made correctly. (9.3.4)
9.3.5 The rotor connection shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Rotor Connectionselect
Preassembled swing joint with O-ring sealed joints
Triple swing joint assembled from threaded street elbows and nipples
Flexible polyethylene swing pipe with spiral barb fittings
NOTE A rotor passes more flow than a spray and is set deeper, so the preassembled swing joint with its full-bore nipples and O-ring seals is the rotor connection on commercial work; the field-built triple swing is its equivalent where the crew has the parts; swing pipe is used under a rotor where the flow is low enough that the small bore does not starve the nozzle. (9.3.6)
9.3.7 Swing joints shall be of a length that allows the head to be set at finished grade with the lateral at its specified cover.

9.4 Head Placement and Coverage

9.4.1 Heads shall be installed at the spacing indicated on the irrigation plan, and the Contractor shall not increase spacing to reduce the head count.
NOTE A single head applies the most water near its body and almost none at the edge of its throw, so every point on the zone has to be reached by at least two heads; spacing stretched past the design opens a dry ring between heads that no run time fills without flooding the rest of the zone. (9.4.2)
9.4.3 Spray bodies and rotors shall be set plumb with the top of the body at finished grade in turf and 2 in. above finished soil grade in planting beds, and shall be set back from the edge of paving by not less than 2 in. and not more than 6 in.
NOTE A head set above finished grade in turf is hit by the mower, and a head set below it is buried by the first top-dressing and sprays into the grass blades instead of over them. (9.4.4)
9.4.5 Where a head would spray a wall, a window, a walkway, or a parked car, the Contractor shall report the condition to the irrigation designer before the lateral is installed.

10 Drip and Micro-Irrigation

10.1 Drip Zone Control Assembly

10.1.1 Each drip zone shall be served by a zone control assembly consisting of, in order of flow, the zone control valve, a filter, and a pressure regulator, installed in a valve box.
NOTE The emitter passages in a dripline are small enough to clog on the grit a spray nozzle would never notice, and the emitters are rated at a pressure a fraction of the mainline's, so the filter and the regulator are not accessories to a drip zone, they are what makes the zone work. (10.1.2)
10.1.3 The drip zone filter type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Drip Zone Filter Typeradio
○ Screen filter
○ Disc filter
NOTE A screen filter is the compact, low-cost filter on a potable or reclaimed supply and is cleaned by rinsing the element; a disc filter holds more debris between cleanings and catches organic matter and algae a screen passes, so it is the filter on a well, pond, or harvested-water supply. (10.1.4)
10.1.5 The filtration fineness of each drip zone filter shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Drip Zone Filtration Finenessrange
mesh
80100120140150200
Derived — the minimum filtration the emission device manufacturer publishes for the dripline and emitters furnished, and the irrigation water supply selected in the datasheet (by default)
10.1.6 The outlet pressure setting of each drip zone pressure regulator shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Drip Zone Regulator Pressurerange
psi
10152025304050
Derived — the rated operating pressure of the drip emission device furnished, as published by its manufacturer (by default)
10.1.7 Drip zone filters and regulators shall be sized for the design flow of the zone stated on the zone schedule, and the regulator shall be a preset type unless the irrigation drawings indicate an adjustable one.

10.2 Dripline and Emitters

10.2.1 Dripline shall be polyethylene tubing with factory-installed pressure-compensating emitters at the flow rate and spacing the irrigation legend assigns.
10.2.2 Point-source emitters on polyethylene distribution tubing shall be pressure-compensating and shall be installed at the trees and individual plants, and in the number per plant, indicated on the irrigation drawings.
NOTE A pressure-compensating emitter delivers its rated flow across the pressure range the manufacturer publishes, so the emitter at the end of a long run and the emitter at the top of a slope deliver the same water as the one next to the valve; a non-compensating emitter cannot do that, and a bed on a grade waters unevenly with it. (10.2.3)
10.2.4 Dripline on a slope with more than 5 ft of elevation change within a zone shall incorporate check-valve emitters that hold the line full at shutdown.
10.2.5 Where the supply is non-potable, dripline and distribution tubing shall be purple or shall carry the purple marking the jurisdiction's reclaimed water program requires.
10.2.6 Surface dripline shall be laid on the finished soil grade before mulch is placed, staked at the interval the dripline manufacturer publishes and not more than 5 ft on center and at every change of direction, and covered by the mulch.
10.2.7 Dripline and distribution tubing shall be connected with the insert, compression, or locking fittings the dripline manufacturer lists for the tubing dimension furnished.
10.2.8 Dripline runs shall not exceed the maximum lateral length the dripline manufacturer publishes for the emitter flow, spacing, and inlet pressure furnished.

10.3 Air Relief and Flushing

10.3.1 Each drip zone shall include an air relief valve at the high point of the zone and a flush outlet at the end of each dripline run or at a manifolded flush header.
NOTE When a drip zone shuts off the line drains, and without an air relief valve the vacuum it forms pulls soil into the emitters at the low end; the flush outlet lets the fines that pass the filter be flushed out of the end of the line before they settle in the last emitters. (10.3.2)
10.3.3 The flush outlet type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Drip Flush Outlet Typeradio
○ Manual flush cap or valve in a valve box
○ Automatic flush valve
NOTE A manual flush outlet is opened by the maintenance staff at the start of each season and costs a box and a cap; an automatic flush valve purges a small volume at the start of every cycle without anyone remembering to, and it costs the valve and the water it discharges on each start. (10.3.4)
10.3.5 Air relief valves and flush outlets shall be installed in valve boxes or in the manufacturer's access sleeves set to finished grade.

10.4 Subsurface Dripline

10.4.1 Requirements in this article apply where the irrigation drawings indicate subsurface dripline.
10.4.2 Subsurface dripline shall be buried at the depth and lateral spacing indicated on the drip zone details.
10.4.3 Subsurface dripline shall incorporate root intrusion protection as indicated in the datasheet.
Subsurface Dripline Root Intrusion Protectionselect
Copper-shielded emitters
Herbicide-impregnated emitters
Emitter outlet geometry without an additive
NOTE Copper in the emitter outlet deters root growth into the emitter for the life of the tubing without a chemical release; an herbicide impregnated into the emitter releases slowly and is effective for the period the manufacturer publishes, after which the protection is gone; an emitter whose outlet geometry alone resists intrusion carries no additive and relies on regular operation to keep the outlet flushed, which suits turf and groundcover rooted less aggressively than trees and shrubs. (10.4.4)
10.4.5 Subsurface dripline shall incorporate check-valve emitters that hold the line full at shutdown.
10.4.6 Subsurface dripline shall include the air relief and flush provisions specified for surface dripline, with the flush outlets and air relief valves brought to grade in access sleeves.
10.4.7 Subsurface dripline shall be located on the record drawings by the method specified in this standard, since no part of it is visible after installation.

11 Controller and Sensors

11.1 Controller Type

11.1.1 The system shall be operated by an automatic controller of the type indicated in the datasheet.
Controller Typeselect
Weather-based smart controller carrying the WaterSense label
Soil-moisture-based smart controller carrying the WaterSense label
Central control system with a site satellite controller
Conventional time-based controller
Battery-operated controller
NOTE A weather-based controller adjusts each station's run time to the measured or forecast evapotranspiration and is the smart controller made in every commercial station count, so it is what most new commercial systems install; a soil-moisture controller waters on the measured moisture of the root zone and suits athletic turf and a landscape with a well-defined moisture target, at the cost of buried sensors that have to be placed and maintained; a central control system runs many sites from one platform and is specified on a campus or by an Owner with a portfolio; a conventional time-based controller waters on a fixed schedule whatever the weather does, costs the least, and is what a water-efficient landscape ordinance or energy code may no longer permit on new work; a battery-operated controller runs where no line voltage can be brought, such as a median or a remote bed, and drives DC latching solenoids. (11.1.2)
11.1.3 Where Adopted Energy CodeAdopted Energy CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-energy-code or a local water-efficient landscape ordinance requires a weather-based or soil-moisture-based controller on a new automatic irrigation system, a conventional time-based controller shall not be furnished.
11.1.4 A weather-based or soil-moisture-based controller shall carry the EPA WaterSense label under the applicable WaterSense specification.
11.1.5 The controller shall provide for each station a run time, not fewer than four start times, a watering-day schedule that can honor the purveyor's watering-day restrictions, cycle and soak scheduling, a seasonal adjustment, and a sensor input that suspends irrigation.
11.1.6 The controller shall be listed to UL 1951.

11.2 Controller Capacity

11.2.1 The controller station capacity shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Controller Station Capacityrange
stations
2240
Per drawings — the controller schedule on the irrigation plan (deferred by default)
11.2.2 The controller shall provide not fewer than the number of spare stations beyond the installed zones indicated in the datasheet.
Spare Controller Stationsrange
stations
12468
Default: Not less than 2 stations
11.2.3 The controller shall support the master valve output, the flow sensor input, and the rain, freeze, and soil moisture sensor inputs selected in this standard.

11.3 Controller Enclosure and Mounting

11.3.1 The controller enclosure rating shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Controller Enclosure Ratingselect
NEMA Type 1
NEMA Type 3R
NEMA Type 4
NEMA Type 4X
NEMA Type 12
NOTE A Type 1 enclosure is the controller's own cabinet in a dry mechanical or electrical room; Type 3R sheds rain and is the outdoor wall and pedestal cabinet; Type 4 is hosed down and is specified where the controller sits in a washdown yard; Type 4X adds corrosion resistance for a coastal or chemical exposure; Type 12 keeps dust out of a controller in a maintenance shop. (11.3.2)
11.3.3 A controller installed outdoors shall be in an enclosure rated NEMA Type 3R or better.
11.3.4 A controller installed within 1 mile of a saltwater coast, or where fertilizer or de-icing chemicals are stored or handled nearby, shall be in an enclosure rated NEMA Type 4X.
11.3.5 The controller mounting shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Controller Mountingradio
○ Wall mounted
○ Pedestal mounted
NOTE A wall-mounted controller uses an existing wall and power source and is the mounting wherever a building wall faces the landscape; a pedestal brings the controller to the middle of the site it serves, shortens every wire run, and stands where no wall exists, at the cost of the pedestal, its footing, and a power feed to it. (11.3.6)
11.3.7 The controller location shall be as indicated on the irrigation plan.
11.3.8 The controller enclosure shall be lockable, and the controller shall be mounted with its display between 48 in. and 60 in. above the finished floor or grade.

11.4 Controller Power, Grounding, and Surge Protection

11.4.1 Line-voltage power to the controller shall be a dedicated circuit installed under NFPA 70, with a disconnecting means at the controller.
11.4.2 The controller shall include surge protection on the incoming power and on every station output and the common.
11.4.3 The controller shall be grounded through a grounding electrode system installed in accordance with ASIC Guideline 100, with a measured resistance to earth not exceeding 10 Ω.
NOTE The buried control wires of an irrigation system are a long antenna, and a lightning strike within a mile of the site induces a surge in them that arrives at the controller terminals; the surge protection diverts it, and it has nowhere to go unless the controller is tied to a low-resistance ground. (11.4.4)
11.4.5 The Contractor shall measure the grounding electrode resistance after installation and shall record the result in the test reports.

11.5 Controller Communication

11.5.1 The controller communication method shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Controller Communicationselect
Local operation at the controller
Owner's network or Wi-Fi connection
Cellular connection
Central control communication

11.6 Rain and Freeze Sensors

11.6.1 A rain shutoff sensor shall be provided and connected to the controller so that irrigation is suspended during and after measurable rainfall.
11.6.3 The rain sensor connection shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Rain Sensor Connectionradio
○ Wired rain sensor
○ Wireless rain sensor
NOTE A wired sensor needs a wire run from the controller to an open-sky mounting, which is short when the controller is on a wall and long when it is on a pedestal in the landscape; a wireless sensor is mounted wherever the sky is open and costs a battery to maintain. (11.6.4)
11.6.5 A freeze sensor shall be provided as indicated in the datasheet.
Freeze Sensorradio
○ Provided
○ Not provided
Derived — Site Ambient Temperature MinimumSite Ambient Temperature MinimumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-minimum, with a freeze sensor provided where it is below 32°F (by default)
11.6.6 Where a freeze sensor is provided, it shall suspend irrigation when the air temperature falls to the set point indicated in the datasheet.
Freeze Sensor Set Pointrange
°F
32353740
11.6.7 Rain and freeze sensors shall be mounted in open exposure clear of roof overhangs, tree canopy, and spray from the irrigation itself.

11.7 Soil Moisture Sensors

11.7.1 Requirements in this article apply where the datasheet selects a soil-moisture-based controller or where the irrigation drawings indicate soil moisture sensors.
11.7.2 Soil moisture sensors shall be of a type the controller manufacturer lists for the controller, installed in the root zone at the depth and in the representative hydrozones indicated on the irrigation plan.
11.7.3 Soil moisture sensor locations shall be recorded on the record drawings and marked at grade with a valve box or marker.

12 Control Wiring

12.1 Wiring Architecture

12.1.1 The field wiring architecture shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Field Wiring Architectureradio
○ Conventional multi-wire with a conductor per station and a common
○ Two-wire decoder path
NOTE Conventional wiring runs a conductor from the controller to every valve plus a common, which is simple to troubleshoot with a meter and grows into a thick bundle on a site with many zones or a long mainline; a two-wire path runs one twisted pair past every valve and a decoder at each valve addresses it, which cuts the wire on a large site to a fraction and lets valves be added anywhere on the path, at the cost of decoders, a grounding grid along the path, and a technician who can read the path's diagnostics. (12.1.2)
12.1.3 Where a two-wire path is selected, the path shall be grounded with surge arrestors and grounding electrodes at the intervals the controller manufacturer requires and at the end of every path.

12.2 Conductors

12.2.1 Control conductors shall be solid copper, insulated and jacketed for direct burial, rated for the controller's output voltage, and of a type the controller manufacturer lists for the wiring architecture selected.
12.2.2 The minimum control conductor size shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Control Conductor Sizeselect
18 AWG
16 AWG
14 AWG
12 AWG
10 AWG
NOTE A 14 AWG conductor carries a solenoid current the length of most commercial sites without the voltage falling below what the solenoid needs, and it is the size most commercial specifications set as the floor; 18 and 16 AWG are made as multi-conductor jacketed cable and suit a short run from a wall controller to a nearby manifold; 12 and 10 AWG are set for the common and for the longest station runs on a large site, where the voltage drop on 14 AWG would leave the farthest solenoid too weak to open. (12.2.3)
12.2.4 Conductors shall be sized so that the voltage delivered to the most distant solenoid on each station is within the range the valve manufacturer publishes, and the Contractor shall submit the sizing for the longest run on each controller.
12.2.5 Station conductors shall be a color other than white, the common shall be white, and spare conductors shall be a third color, with the same color scheme held throughout the system.
12.2.6 Not fewer than the number of spare conductors indicated in the datasheet shall be run with every conventional wire bundle to every zone control valve box.
Spare Control Conductors per Valve Boxrange
conductors
1234
Default: Not less than 1 conductors
NOTE A spare conductor to every box lets a cut station wire be swapped without excavating the run, and a second spare lets a zone be added; the spares cost wire, and a two-wire path needs none because a new decoder is clipped anywhere on the path. (12.2.7)

12.3 Splices and Wire Installation

12.3.1 Every splice and connection in the field wiring shall be made inside a valve box with a waterproof connector that is gel-filled or epoxy-filled and listed for direct burial.
12.3.2 No splice shall be made outside a valve box, and no splice shall be made with a twist-on connector, tape, or a connector not listed for direct burial.
NOTE A buried connection that is not sealed corrodes within a season, and a corroded splice is the most common cause of a dead zone; the valve box is where a technician can find and remake it. (12.3.3)
12.3.4 Control conductors shall be installed in the mainline trench beside or below the mainline, bundled and taped at intervals not exceeding 10 ft, with an expansion loop of not less than 24 in. of slack at every valve box, every splice, and every change of direction.
12.3.5 Where control conductors cross under paving, they shall be installed in a sleeve separate from the pipe sleeve as specified in this standard.
12.3.6 Control conductors not installed in the mainline trench shall be buried at not less than the lateral cover indicated in the datasheet.

13 Sleeving, Trenching, and Cover

13.1 Sleeves Under Paving

13.1.1 Pipe and control conductors crossing under paving, sidewalks, curbs, walls, and other hardscape shall be installed in sleeves placed before the paving is constructed, at the locations indicated on the sleeving plan.
NOTE A sleeve lets the pipe or wire be pulled and replaced without cutting the pavement, and it keeps the pavement's sawcut, compaction, and load off the pipe; a sleeve missed before paving is replaced by a bore under the finished pavement or a sawcut and patch, either of which costs many times the sleeve. (13.1.2)
13.1.3 The sleeve material shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Sleeve Materialselect
PVC Schedule 40
PVC Schedule 80
HDPE conduit
NOTE Schedule 40 PVC is the sleeve under walks, drives, and parking because it is on every truck and carries the load once the pavement spreads it; Schedule 80 is set under a heavy-vehicle pavement or where the sleeve is shallow; HDPE conduit is the sleeve pulled through a bored crossing because it comes in a coil and bends with the bore. (13.1.4)
13.1.5 Sleeves shall have an inside diameter not less than twice the nominal diameter of the pipe or wire bundle they carry, and not less than 2 in.
13.1.6 Sleeves shall extend beyond the edge of the paving on each side by not less than the distance indicated in the datasheet.
Sleeve Extension Beyond Paving Edgerange
in
12182436
Default: Not less than 12 in
13.1.7 Pipe sleeves and wire sleeves shall be separate, and a control conductor shall not share a sleeve with a pressure pipe.
13.1.8 Each sleeve end shall be capped until used and marked at finished grade by a method that survives paving, and each sleeve location shall be recorded on the record drawings with its size and contents.
13.1.9 The Contractor shall coordinate sleeve placement with the paving contractor so that every sleeve is in place and inspected before base course is placed over it.

13.2 Trenchless Crossings

13.2.1 Where a crossing is required under existing paving, under a tree protection zone, or where open trenching is not permitted, the crossing shall be made by horizontal boring and the pipe or sleeve pulled through the bore.
13.2.2 Bored crossings shall maintain the cover specified in this standard and the clearance from other utilities the utility owners require, and the entry and exit pits shall be outside the protected feature.
13.2.3 Vibratory plow installation of polyethylene laterals shall be permitted or prohibited as indicated in the datasheet.
Vibratory Plow Installation of Polyethylene Lateralsradio
○ Permitted
○ Not permitted
NOTE Plowing pulls a polyethylene lateral into a slit in the turf at production rates no trench can match and leaves almost no surface disturbance, and it is how most polyethylene lateral grids go into an existing or finished lawn; it gives no view of the pipe's bed or of what the blade passed through, and it is not permitted where rock, other utilities, or tree roots in the path cannot be ruled out. (13.2.4)
13.2.5 Where plowing is permitted, the plowed depth shall be not less than the lateral cover indicated in the datasheet, and every fitting shall be hand-excavated and set in an open hole.

13.3 Trenching and Pipe Zone

13.3.1 Trench excavation, worker protection, dewatering, and backfill above the pipe zone shall conform to EarthworkEarthworkResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/earthwork, and the pipe zone of the irrigation trench shall be as specified in this article.
13.3.2 The trench bottom shall be firm, continuous, and free of rock, debris, and frozen material, and shall be graded to drain to the drain valves where a drain-down winterization method is selected.
13.3.3 The pipe zone material from the trench bottom to 4 in. above the pipe crown shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Pipe Zone Materialselect
Native soil screened free of rock larger than 1 in.
Clean sand
Clean gravel or crushed stone passing a 3/4 in. sieve
NOTE Screened native soil is the pipe zone on most irrigation trenches because the trench is shallow, the pipe is plastic, and the excavated soil goes back where it came from; clean sand is imported where the native soil is rocky or is a clay that cannot be worked around a small pipe, and it is the envelope on a mainline that has to be found and repaired without damage; gravel or crushed stone drains a wet trench and supports a large mainline, and it abrades a small polyethylene lateral that moves against it. (13.3.4)
13.3.5 Pipe shall be laid on the trench bottom with no voids under the pipe, and the pipe zone shall be placed by hand and compacted around and over the pipe before the trench is backfilled above the pipe zone.
13.3.6 Mainline and laterals shall be installed in separate trenches, or in a common trench with the mainline below the laterals and not less than 4 in. of pipe zone material between them.
13.3.7 The Contractor shall backfill and compact the trench above the pipe zone under EarthworkEarthworkResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/earthwork to the compaction target for the surface above it, and shall restore the surface to the grade it was at before trenching.
NOTE A trench that settles after the lawn is seeded is a trough the mower scalps and the Owner remembers; the compaction target is the one the surface above needs, not the one the pipe needs. (13.3.8)

13.4 Minimum Cover

13.4.1 Cover over the mainline, measured from finished grade to the top of the pipe, shall be not less than the depth indicated in the datasheet.
Mainline Coverrange
in
1218243036
Default: Not less than 18 in
13.4.2 Cover over laterals shall be not less than the depth indicated in the datasheet.
Lateral Coverrange
in
68121824
Default: Not less than 12 in
NOTE The mainline is under pressure all the time and is the pipe whose failure floods the site, so it is set deeper than the laterals, out of reach of an aerator or an edging spade; 18 in. keeps it below the deepest turf maintenance tool and 24 in. or more is set where the mainline crosses a planting bed that will be cultivated or where a heavier pipe needs the soil load to hold it. A lateral at 12 in. clears the aerator and the sod cutter, and a shallower lateral is set where the soil is thin over rock or the swing joint would otherwise be too long. (13.4.3)
13.4.4 Cover beneath paving shall be measured from the bottom of the pavement section to the top of the sleeve, and the sleeve shall have not less than 12 in. of cover below the pavement section.
13.4.5 Where the irrigation drawings indicate a greater cover for a specific run, the drawings shall govern for that run.

13.5 Mainline Locating

13.5.1 The mainline shall be made locatable after backfill by the method indicated in the datasheet.
Mainline Locating Provisionselect
Detectable marking tape above the mainline
Tracer wire on the mainline
None
NOTE Detectable marking tape laid 6 in. above the mainline is found by a locator and read as a warning by whoever digs down to it, and it is cut by the first spade through it; a tracer wire bonded to the pipe and brought to grade in the valve boxes is traced with a locator for the life of the system and needs its continuity kept; no locating provision relies on the record drawings alone, which suits a small system with a short, straight mainline. (13.5.2)
13.5.3 Where tracer wire is selected, it shall be brought to grade inside every valve box on the mainline and its continuity shall be verified before the trench is backfilled.

14 Testing and Commissioning

14.1 Mainline Hydrostatic Test

14.1.1 The mainline, from the point of connection to the zone control valves, shall be hydrostatically tested with water after every solvent-cemented joint has cured and before the trench is backfilled above the pipe zone, with the zone control valves closed and the joints exposed for inspection.
14.1.2 The mainline test pressure shall be not less than the pressure indicated in the datasheet, not less than 1.5 times the static supply pressure measured at the point of connection, and not more than the pressure rating of the lowest-rated component on the mainline.
Mainline Test Pressurerange
psi
100125150175200
Default: Not less than 150 psi
14.1.3 The test pressure shall be held for not less than the duration indicated in the datasheet.
Mainline Test Durationrange
hours
124824
Default: Not less than 2 hours
14.1.4 The pressure loss over the test duration shall not exceed the value indicated in the datasheet, and there shall be no visible leakage at any joint.
Allowable Mainline Test Pressure Lossrange
psi
23510
Default: Not more than 5 psi
NOTE A long mainline relaxes slightly under pressure and its temperature changes over two hours, so a few psi of loss on a tight line is ordinary; zero loss is set where the mainline is short and solvent-cemented, and a larger allowance is set on a long gasketed line where AWWA practice admits a small makeup volume. (14.1.5)
14.1.6 Compressed air or any other gas shall not be used to pressure test any plastic irrigation piping.
NOTE A solvent-cemented plastic line under air pressure stores energy that water does not, and a failing joint releases it as a burst that throws pipe fragments; the prohibition on air testing applies at every pipe size and every test pressure. (14.1.7)
14.1.8 Leaks found during the test shall be repaired and the test repeated until the mainline passes, and the cost of retesting shall be borne by the Contractor.
14.1.9 The test shall be witnessed by the irrigation designer or the Owner's representative, and the Contractor shall give not less than 48 hours notice of each test.

14.2 Lateral Flushing and Operation

14.2.1 Before heads, emitters, or drip devices are installed, every lateral shall be flushed with the zone operating at full pressure through the open lateral ends until the discharge runs clear.
NOTE Debris left in a lateral lodges in the nozzle screens and the emitter passages as soon as the zone first runs, and clearing it through the installed nozzles takes far longer than flushing it out of the open pipe. (14.2.2)
14.2.3 After the emission devices are installed, every zone shall be operated at its design pressure and inspected for leaks at every joint and fitting, and every leak shall be repaired before the trench is backfilled above the pipe zone.
14.2.4 Drip zones shall be flushed through the flush outlets after the dripline is connected and before the zone is accepted.

14.3 Coverage Verification

14.3.1 After all heads and emitters are installed and the controller is programmed, each zone shall be operated and observed, every head shall pop up and rotate through its assigned arc, every emitter shall discharge, and the arc, radius, and pattern of every head shall be adjusted to keep water on the landscape and off pavement, walls, and glazing.
14.3.2 A distribution uniformity audit of turf zones shall be performed as indicated in the datasheet.
Distribution Uniformity Auditradio
○ Catch-can audit of every turf spray and rotor zone
○ Visual coverage check only
NOTE A catch-can audit measures how evenly a zone applies water and gives a number the design can be held to, and it takes a trained auditor an hour or more per zone; a visual check finds the dry gap, the broken head, and the overspray that an audit would find, and it does not quantify uniformity, which suits a site where the Owner is not going to hold the system to a measured value. (14.3.3)
14.3.4 Where a catch-can audit is performed, the lower-quarter distribution uniformity of each turf zone shall be not less than the value indicated in the datasheet.
Lower-Quarter Distribution Uniformityrange
0.50.85
14.3.5 A zone that fails the coverage inspection or the audit shall be corrected by the Contractor and re-tested at the Contractor's cost.
NOTE Overspray onto pavement is wasted water, a slip hazard, a stain on the building, and the complaint the Owner receives first. (14.3.6)

14.4 Controller Programming and Sensor Demonstration

14.4.1 After testing is complete, the Contractor shall program the controller for the installed system, with each station's run time, start times, watering days, and cycle and soak settings set from the zone schedule and the purveyor's watering restrictions, and with the seasonal adjustment or evapotranspiration source configured.
14.4.2 The Contractor shall demonstrate the rain sensor, the freeze sensor where provided, the master valve, and the flow sensor alarm where provided, by triggering each device and confirming the controller's response in the presence of the Owner's representative.
14.4.3 Where a flow sensor is provided, the Contractor shall run the controller's flow learning for every zone and shall set the high-flow and low-flow alarm margins.
14.4.4 The as-left program shall be recorded in the controller programming record and the laminated zone map shall be installed inside the controller enclosure.

14.5 Owner Training

14.5.1 The Contractor shall instruct the Owner's maintenance personnel in operating the controller, running a zone manually, adjusting run times and the seasonal adjustment, responding to sensor and flow alarms, cleaning the drip filters, and performing the seasonal start-up and winterization, for not less than the duration indicated in the datasheet.
Owner Training Durationrange
hours
1248
Default: Not less than 2 hours
14.5.2 The training shall be given at the controller with the system operating, and the Contractor shall record the date, the attendees, and the topics covered.

15 Winterization and Seasonal Start-Up

15.1 Requirements in this section apply where Site Ambient Temperature MinimumSite Ambient Temperature MinimumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-minimum is below 32°F.
15.2 The system shall be winterized at the end of each watering season by closing the point of connection isolation valve, draining the backflow assembly as Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention directs, draining the point of connection assembly, and removing the water from the mainline and laterals by the method indicated in the datasheet.
Winterization Methodselect
Compressed-air blow-out through a dedicated connection
Gravity drainage through manual drain valves at low points
Automatic drain valves at low points
Compressed-air blow-out with drain valves at low points
NOTE Blow-out clears every lateral regardless of grade and is how nearly every commercial system north of the frost line is winterized, at the cost of a compressor visit each fall and a crew that knows the pressure limits; gravity drainage through manual drains needs every pipe graded to a drain and a valve box at every low point, and it clears a lateral only where the grade actually falls to the drain; automatic drains open at every shutdown and drain the laterals each cycle, which wastes a little water on every run and leaves the mainline to be drained another way; blow-out with drain valves clears the laterals by air and drains the mainline low points by gravity, and is set where the mainline is large enough that air alone will not clear it. (15.3)
15.4 Where blow-out is selected, air shall be introduced through a dedicated blow-out connection downstream of the backflow assembly and never through the backflow assembly.
15.5 Blow-out air pressure shall not exceed 80 psi in PVC piping, 50 psi in polyethylene piping, or the rating of the lowest-rated component on the zone being cleared, whichever is least, and the compressor shall be regulated to that limit before air is admitted.
NOTE Air at a pressure the pipe would hold as water still overspeeds a rotor until its gears strip and bursts a fitting at the end of a lateral when the water ahead of it is gone; the limits are set well below the pipe rating for that reason. (15.6)
15.7 Blow-out shall be performed one zone at a time, with each zone open until it discharges only air, and no zone shall be blown out more than twice in succession without a pause for the compressor to cool the air.
15.8 The first start-up of each season shall fill the mainline slowly with a zone valve open to purge air, shall be followed by an operational check of every zone, and shall include replacement of any head, emitter, or valve damaged by freezing.
15.9 The Contractor shall perform the first winterization and the following spring start-up as indicated in the datasheet.
Seasonal Services by the Contractor During Warrantyradio
○ First winterization and following spring start-up included
○ Not included
NOTE Including the first winterization keeps the system's first winter in the hands of the party warranting it, so a frozen fitting the next spring cannot be argued over; excluding it suits an Owner whose own staff winterizes every system on the site and who would rather be trained than wait for the Contractor. (15.10)

16 Establishment Support and Stabilization Transition

16.1 The irrigation system serving a landscape area shall be installed, tested, and programmed, and the backflow assembly shall be certified under Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention, before permanent planting, seeding, or sodding of that area begins under Planting And Soil PreparationPlanting and Soil PreparationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/planting-and-soil-preparation.
NOTE The planting, topsoil, permanent seed mix, and the establishment period are specified in Planting And Soil PreparationPlanting and Soil PreparationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/planting-and-soil-preparation; where Erosion And Sediment ControlErosion and Sediment ControlResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/erosion-and-sediment-control carries an area from temporary stabilization to permanent vegetation, the permanent seeding is that standard's and this standard supplies the irrigation that keeps it alive. (16.2)
16.3 Where Erosion And Sediment ControlErosion and Sediment ControlResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/erosion-and-sediment-control relies on permanent vegetation to achieve final stabilization of an irrigated area, the Contractor shall have the irrigation zones serving that area operational before the permanent seeding or planting is placed and shall keep them operating through the establishment period.
16.4 During the establishment period defined in Planting And Soil PreparationPlanting and Soil PreparationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/planting-and-soil-preparation, the controller shall be programmed to the establishment watering schedule the planting contractor requests in writing, and shall be reprogrammed to the maintenance schedule in the controller programming record when the establishment period ends.
16.5 The party responsible for establishment watering is assigned in Planting And Soil PreparationPlanting and Soil PreparationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/planting-and-soil-preparation; where the Owner's irrigation is the only water supply, the party operating the controller during the establishment period shall be confirmed in writing before the establishment period begins.
NOTE New plantings die in the gap between the irrigation contractor leaving and the planting contractor arriving, or in the week when nobody knows who owns the controller; the written hand-off exists so that the gap does not open. (16.6)

17 Record Documents

17.1 The Contractor shall keep a field markup current through the work showing the installed location of every mainline run, valve, sleeve, splice, sensor, and subsurface dripline run, and shall transfer it to the record drawings at closeout.
17.2 Record drawing locations shall be established by the method indicated in the datasheet.
Record Drawing Location Methodselect
Dimensioned from two permanent site features
GPS coordinates
Dimensioned from two permanent site features and GPS coordinates
NOTE A dimension from two permanent features such as a building corner and a curb return is found with a tape by anyone, and it fails where the features are later removed; GPS coordinates survive a site change and are found by anyone with a receiver, and they depend on a receiver accurate to the foot and on the Owner having one; recording both costs the Contractor a receiver and gives the Owner either path to the valve. (17.3)
17.4 Dimensioned locations shall be measured to the nearest 6 in. from permanent features that will remain after the project is complete.
17.5 The record drawings shall identify each zone control valve by its station number and each sleeve by its size and contents, and shall match the laminated zone map installed in the controller.

18 Warranty

18.1 The Contractor shall warrant the irrigation system, including the piping, valves, heads, emitters, drip components, controller, sensors, wiring, and the installation, against defects in material and workmanship for the period indicated in the datasheet, beginning at substantial completion.
Irrigation System Warranty Periodrange
years
1235
Default: Not less than 1 years
NOTE A one-year warranty matches the general correction period of most construction contracts and carries the system through one winterization and one spring start-up; a two-year or longer period is set where the Owner wants the second winter covered, where the planting warranty runs two years and the Owner wants the irrigation warranty to match it, or where the system is large enough that a latent defect in a splice or a solvent joint is likely to surface in the second season. (18.2)
18.3 Warranty correction shall include repair of leaks, replacement of failed valves, solenoids, heads, emitters, sensors, and controller components, repair of trench settlement that exposes or damages piping or disturbs the finished surface, and restoration of the landscape and paving disturbed by the correction, at the Contractor's expense.
18.4 Where the parties disagree whether a failure is attributable to defective material or workmanship or to a cause outside the Contractor's control, the irrigation designer shall make the initial determination.
18.5 Manufacturer warranties on the controller, valves, heads, and specialty devices that extend beyond the Contractor's warranty shall be assigned to the Owner at closeout.
18.6 The warranty does not limit the Owner's remedies for a latent defect discovered after the warranty period, including pipe installed at less than the specified cover, a splice made outside a valve box, mixed emission devices on a zone, and a substituted nozzle that defeats the matched precipitation rate.

19 Spare Parts

19.1 The Contractor shall deliver to the Owner at closeout the spare parts and tools indicated in the datasheet, in the quantities stated below, and shall obtain the Owner's signed receipt for them.
Spare Parts and Tools Deliveredcheckbox
☑ Spare nozzles of each type installed
☐ Spare spray bodies and rotors of each type installed
☑ Spare drip emitters, dripline fittings, and filter elements
☐ Spare zone control valve solenoids and diaphragms
☑ Spare waterproof splice connectors
☑ Quick-coupling keys and hose swivels
☑ Controller enclosure keys and valve box lid keys
☑ Service tools for the heads and valves installed
19.2 Spare nozzles shall be delivered at not less than 5 percent of the quantity of each nozzle type installed and not fewer than two of each, and spare emitters, fittings, and splice connectors at not less than 2 percent of the quantity installed.
19.3 Two quick-coupling keys with hose swivels, two sets of controller enclosure keys, and two valve box lid keys shall be delivered where the system includes the devices they serve.

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