Help - Irrigation systems in Williamsburg, Virginia?

15 years ago

We are finally at the stage for landscaping (actually already had grass & plants installed) but realize we should have budgeted for irrigation. With the heatwave we are experiencing the yard is looking a mess.

Can anyone give us a ballpark price for a 5 zone irrigation system? And what is a drip irrigation system versus the traditional sprinklers?

A family friend says we should have a well put in instead of using city water for the sprinklers. Has anyone done this?

Thanks in advance...and any recommendations for someone to install the system would also be nice.

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Comments (3)

anthem
15 years ago
Depends on how complex the zones are. If its a simple run, then it could be a few thousand. A safer estimate is probably $1000/zone average. Possibly a bit higher if it gets complex. Drip is xerigation and more efficient than spray rotors. You only drip plants, shrubs, and young trees. The drip water goes straight down into the root zone rather than spraying it into the air and letting the water evaporate before it does any good.

Well is definitely cheaper in the long run. Payback can be as short as a few years to 8-10 years. If you are in williamsburg it might get a bit trickier. The closer you are to the river, the deeper down you have to go to get water (doesn't make sense does it, but thats the way the water table works). So, in some places in Williamsburg you might have to go a few hundred feet before hitting the aquifer to get water. Don't even bother with the shallow water well as you can't get enough water to irrigate.

you will need to put in a backflow device as well if you tap into city or country water sources.
freezetag
15 years ago
For safety, you should install a backflow prevention device regardless of your water source (well vs. city water), especially if you ever use a hose-end sprayer, or if you plan to run chemicals / fertilizer through your irrigation system!
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dragonfly_
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I am not in your area, but our irrigation system has 13 zones. The cost was $6,000. Our whole house water comes from a well.
You will have to check the price for a well in your area then compare the cost of your water to the cost of drilling a well to see if it is worth the added expense. Unless you have a high water table a well could be expensive. Over the life of your home the well cost could pay for itself with the price of purchasing water from your city or town.

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Help - Irrigation systems in Williamsburg, Virginia?

Comments (3)

anthem

freezetag

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