Irrigation Systems Auckland

A good irrigation system puts the right amount of water at the roots, at the right time of day, without anyone standing there with a hose. A poor one sprays the fence, floods one bed and leaves the next to die, and in the worst case lets fertiliser-laced water siphon back into the drinking supply.

We design and install garden irrigation for Auckland homes, from a few drip lines in raised vegetable beds to zoned systems for large sections and lifestyle blocks. Because the system connects to your water supply, it is plumbing work, and we treat it that way: correct pipe sizing, backflow protection and a connection that will not cause problems later.

Pricing: quotes are free, and every job gets a fixed price before we start, so there are no surprises on the invoice.

Irrigation Systems Jobs We Handle Across Auckland

• Irrigation auckland
• Garden irrigation system installation
• Drip irrigation installer
• Irrigation backflow preventer
• Rainwater tank irrigation pump
• Irrigation repairs

Backflow protection is not optional

When pressure in the mains drops, for example during a burst in the street, water can be drawn backwards out of your garden pipes into the network. With irrigation, that water may have been sitting in soil or mixed with fertiliser or weedkiller. Watercare classes garden irrigation systems as medium risk and lists a double-check valve as the device for that risk level, and backflow devices need testing every year.

Watercare also requires a backflow device if a residential customer installs a separate irrigation meter. Auckland Council oversees devices inside your property, and testable devices are checked by a qualified tester. We fit the right device at the connection and can set you up with annual backflow testing so the paperwork stays current.

Choosing the right system for your garden

Different parts of a section need different watering. Most systems mix several of these, each on its own zone:

• Drip line under mulch for garden beds, shrubs and hedges
• Micro-sprays or bubblers for vegetable gardens and pots
• Pop-up sprinklers for lawns, laid out so the coverage overlaps evenly
• Separate zones for sun and shade, so one bed is not drowned to keep another alive
• A controller with a rain or soil moisture sensor so it skips wet days
• Isolation valves and a filter at the head of each zone

How It Works

Running irrigation from a rainwater tank

Auckland roofs collect a lot of water, and using it on the garden takes pressure off your Watercare bill and the city supply. A tank-fed system needs a pump sized for the zone with the highest demand, a filter to keep sediment out of the drippers, and a way to switch to mains when the tank runs low. If there is a mains top-up or changeover, backflow protection is still needed so tank water cannot reach the network.

Auckland Council's guidance says an outdoor-only tank that meets its conditions may not need a building consent. We can add a tank and pump as part of the irrigation project, or connect to one you already have. See our rainwater tanks page for sizing and consent details.

Auckland's dry summers and water restrictions

Auckland is green most of the year, but summers can be very dry. In 2020 the region went into its first mandatory water restrictions since the 1993 to 1994 drought. From 16 May 2020, residential outdoor hoses and water blasters were banned, and commercial watering of sports fields and plants was only allowed through irrigation systems fitted with soil moisture or rain sensors. When the rules eased from 14 December 2020, hand-held hoses with trigger nozzles were allowed, but sprinklers and residential irrigation systems stayed banned.

The lesson is that efficient systems are the ones that keep working when water is tight. Drip line, sensors and a tank supply all reduce how much mains water a garden uses, and a tank-fed system gives you a supply of your own.

What affects the cost

Every irrigation job gets a free quote after we have walked the section. The price depends on:

• Section size and the number of zones
• Mix of drip line, sprays and pop-up sprinklers
• Trenching through lawn, clay or rock, and under paths
• Controller type and whether sensors are included
• Backflow device, and whether a separate irrigation meter is wanted
• Tank, pump and changeover equipment for a tank-fed system

Repairs, leaks and seasonal checks

Older systems often leak at buried joiners or have a valve that never quite shuts, which can waste a surprising amount of water. Watercare's leak allowance does not cover high use from irrigation, so a leaking system is a cost you carry yourself. If your bill has jumped and you suspect the irrigation, our leak detection gear can find the fault without digging up every line. We also do spring start-up checks: flushing lines, cleaning filters, replacing broken heads and resetting the controller for the season.

Why Choose Cheeky's Plumbers for Irrigation Systems

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