SW0801-SP101209
(11/4/2011) George Marshall - Irrigation systemsPage 1
From:
Michael Arellano
To:
George Marshall
Date:
12/9/2010 1:35 PM
Subject:
Irrigation systems
George, here is chapter 344 that deals with Standards for irrigation systems as a minimum state
requirement.
(g) Irrigation systems shall not spray water over surfaces made of concrete, asphalt, brick, wood,
stones set with mortar, or any other impervious material, such as, but not limited to, walls, fences,
sidewalks, streets, etc.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Page 1
Chapter 344 - Landscape Irrigation
SUBCHAPTER F: STANDARDS FOR DESIGNING, INSTALLING, AND MAINTAINING LANDSCAPE
IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
§§344.60 - 344.65
Effective January 1, 2009
§344.60. Water Conservation.
All irrigation systems shall be designed, installed, maintained, altered, repaired, serviced, and operated in
a manner that will promote water conservation as defined in §344.1(44 ) of this title (relating to
Definitions).
Adopted June 4, 2008 Effective January 1, 2009
§344.61. Minimum Standards for the Design of the Irrigation Plan.
(a) An irrigator shall prepare an irrigation plan for each site where a new irrigation system will be installed.
A paper or electronic copy of the irrigation plan must be on the job site at all times during the installation
of the irrigation system. A drawing showing the actual installation of the system is due to each irrigation
system owner after all new irrigation system installations. During the installation of the irrigation system,
variances from the original plan may be authorized by the licensed irrigator if the variance from the plan
does not:
(1) diminish the operational integrity of the irrigation system;
(2) violate any requirements of this chapter; and
(3) go unnoted in red on the irrigation plan.
(b) The irrigation plan must include complete coverage of the area to be irrigated. If a system does not
provide complete coverage of the area to be irrigated, it must be noted on the irrigation plan.
(c) All irrigation plans used for construction must be drawn to scale. The plan must include, at a minimum,
the following information:
(1) the irrigator's seal, signature, and date of signing;
(2) all major physical features and the boundaries of the areas to be watered;
(3) a North arrow;
(4) a legend;
(5) the zone flow measurement for each zone;
(6) location and type of each:
(A) controller;
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Page 2
Chapter 344 - Landscape Irrigation
(B) sensor (for example, but not limited to, rain, moisture, wind, flow, or freeze);
(7) location, type, and size of each:
(A) water source, such as, but not limited to a water meter and point(s) of connection;
(B) backflow prevention device;
(C) water emission device, including, but not limited to, spray heads, rotary sprinkler heads, quick-
couplers, bubblers, drip, or micro-sprays;
(D) valve, including, but not limited to, zone valves, master valves, and isolation valves;
(11/4/2011) George Marshall - Irrigation systemsPage 2
(E) pressure regulation component; and
(F) main line and lateral piping.
(8) the scale used; and
(9) the design pressure.
Adopted June 4, 2008 Effective January 1, 2009
§344.62. Minimum Design and Installation Requirements.
(a) No irrigation design or installation shall require the use of any component, including the water meter,
in a way which exceeds the manufacturer's published performance limitations for the component.
(b) Spacing.
(1) The maximum spacing between emission devices must not exceed the manufacturer's published
radius or spacing of the device(s). The radius or spacing is determined by referring to the manufacturer's
published specifications for a specific emission device at a specific operating pressure.
(2) New irrigation systems shall not utilize above-ground spray emission devices in landscapes that are
less than 48 inches not including the impervious surfaces in either length or width and which contain
impervious pedestrian or vehicular traffic surfaces along two or more perimeters. If pop-up sprays or
rotary sprinkler heads are used in a new irrigation system, the sprinkler heads must direct flow away from
any adjacent surface and shall not be installed closer than four inches from a hardscape, such as, but not
limited to, a building foundation, fence, concrete, asphalt, pavers, or stones set with mortar.
(3) Narrow paved walkways, jogging paths, golf cart paths or other small areas located in cemeteries,
parks, golf courses or other public areas may be exempted from this requirement if the runoff drains into a
landscaped area.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Page 3
Chapter 344 - Landscape Irrigation
(c) Water pressure. Emission devices must be installed to operate at the minimum and not above the
maximum sprinkler head pressure as published by the manufacturer for the nozzle and head spacing that
is used. Methods to achieve the water pressure requirements include, but are not limited to, flow control
valves, a pressure regulator, or pressure compensating spray heads.
(d) Piping. Piping in irrigation systems must be designed and installed so that the flow of water in the pipe
will not exceed a velocity of five feet per second for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe.
(e) Irrigation Zones. Irrigation systems shall have separate zones based on plant material type,
microclimate factors, topographic features, soil conditions, and hydrological requirements.
(f) Matched precipitation rate. Zones must be designed and installed so that all of the emission devices in
that zone irrigate at the same precipitation rate.
(g) Irrigation systems shall not spray water over surfaces made of concrete, asphalt, brick, wood, stones
set with mortar, or any other impervious material, such as, but not limited to, walls, fences, sidewalks,
streets, etc.
(h) Master valve. When provided , a master valve shall be installed on the discharge side of the backflow
prevention device on all new installations.
(i) PVC pipe primer solvent. All new irrigation systems that are installed using PVC pipe and fittings shall
be primed with a colored primer prior to applying the PVC cement in accordance with the Uniform
Plumbing Code (Section 316) or the International Plumbing Code (Section 605).
(j) Rain or moisture shut-off devices or other technology. All new automatically controlled irrigation
systems must include sensors or other technology designed to inhibit or interrupt operation of the
irrigation system during periods of moisture or rainfall. Rain or moisture shut-off technology must be
installed according to the manufacturer's published recommendations. Repairs to existing automatic
irrigation systems that require replacement of an existing controller must include a sensor or other
technology designed to inhibit or interrupt operation of the irrigation system during periods of moisture or
rainfall. El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Brewster, Terrell, Loving, Winkler, Ward,
Reeves, Ector, Crane and Pecos are excluded from this requirement.
(k) Isolation valve. All new irrigation systems must include an isolation valve between the water meter and
the backflow prevention device.
(l) Depth coverage of piping. Piping in all irrigation systems must be installed according to the
manufacturer's published specifications for depth coverage of piping.
(1) If the manufacturer has not published specifications for depth coverage of piping, the piping must be
installed to provide minimum depth coverage of six inches of select backfill, between the top of the pipe
and the natural grade of the topsoil. All portions of the irrigation system that fail to meet this standard
(11/4/2011) George Marshall - Irrigation systemsPage 3
must be noted on the irrigation plan. If the area being irrigated has rock at a depth of six inches or less,
select backfill may be mounded over the pipe. Mounding must be noted on the irrigation plan and
discussed with the irrigation system owner or owner's representative to address any safety issues.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Page 4
Chapter 344 - Landscape Irrigation
(2) If a utility, man-made structure, or roots create an unavoidable obstacle, which makes the six-inch
depth coverage requirement impractical, the piping shall be installed to provide a minimum of two inches
of select backfill between the top of the pipe and the natural grade of the topsoil.
(3) All trenches and holes created during installation of an irrigation system must be backfilled and
compacted to the original grade.
(m) Wiring irrigation systems.
(1) Underground electrical wiring used to connect an automatic controller to any electrical component of
the irrigation system must be listed by Underwriters Laboratories as acceptable for burial underground.
(2) Electrical wiring that connects any electrical components of an irrigation system must be sized
according to the manufacturer's recommendation.
(3) Electrical wire splices which may be exposed to moisture must be waterproof as certified by the wire
splice manufacturer.
(4) Underground electrical wiring that connects an automatic controller to any electrical component of the
irrigation system must be buried with a minimum of six inches of select backfill.
(n) Water contained within the piping of an irrigation system is deemed to be non-potable. No drinking or
domestic water usage, such as, but not limited to, filling swimming pools or decorative fountains, shall be
connected to an irrigation system. If a hose bib (an outdoor water faucet that has hose threads on the
spout) is connected to an irrigation system for the purpose of providing supplemental water to an area,
the hose bib must be installed using a quick coupler key on a quick coupler installed in a covered purple
valve box and the hose bib and any hoses connected to the bib must be labeled "non-potable, not safe for
drinking." An isolation valve must be installed upstream of a quick coupler connecting a hose bib to an
irrigation system.
(o) Beginning January 1, 2010, either a licensed irrigator or a licensed irrigation technician shall be on-site
at all times while the landscape irrigation system is being installed. When an irrigator is not on-site, the
irrigator shall be responsible for ensuring that a licensed irrigation technician is on-site to supervise the
installation of the irrigation system.
Adopted June 4, 2008 Effective January 1, 2009
§344.63. Completion of Irrigation System Installation.
Upon completion of the irrigation system, the irrigator or irrigation technician who provided supervision for
the on-site installation shall be required to complete four items:
(1) a final "walk through" with the irrigation system's owner or the owner's representative to explain the
operation of the system;
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Page 5
Chapter 344 - Landscape Irrigation
(2) The maintenance checklist on which the irrigator or irrigation technician shall obtain the signature of
the irrigation system's owner or owner's representative and shall sign, date, and seal the checklist. If the
irrigation system's owner or owner's representative is unwilling or unable to sign the maintenance
checklist, the irrigator shall note the time and date of the refusal on the irrigation system's owner or
owner's representative's signature line. The irrigation system owner or owner's representative will be
given the original maintenance checklist and a duplicate copy of the maintenance checklist shall be
maintained by the irrigator. The items on the maintenance checklist shall include but are not limited to:
(A) the manufacturer's manual for the automatic controller, if the system is automatic;
(B) a seasonal (spring, summer, fall, winter) watering schedule based on either current/real time
evapotranspiration or monthly historical reference evapotranspiration (historical ET) data, monthly
effective rainfall estimates, plant landscape coefficient factors, and site factors;
(C) a list of components, such as the nozzle, or pump filters, and other such components; that require
maintenance and the recommended frequency for the service; and
(D) the statement, "This irrigation system has been installed in accordance with all applicable state and
local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations or orders. I have tested the system and determined that it has
been installed according to the Irrigation Plan and is properly adjusted for the most efficient application of
water at this time."
(11/4/2011) George Marshall - Irrigation systemsPage 4
(3) A permanent sticker which contains the irrigator's name, license number, company name, telephone
number and the dates of the warranty period shall be affixed to each automatic controller installed by the
irrigator or irrigation technician. If the irrigation system is manual, the sticker shall be affixed to the original
maintenance checklist. The information contained on the sticker must be printed with waterproof inkand
include:
(4) The irrigation plan indicating the actual installation of the system must be provided to the irrigation
system's owner or owner representative.
Adopted June 4, 2008 Effective January 1, 2009
§344.64. Maintenance, Alteration, Repair, or Service of Irrigation Systems.
(a) The irrigator is responsible for all work that the irrigator performed during the maintenance, alteration,
repair, or service of an irrigation system during the warranty period. The irrigator or business owner is not
responsible for the professional negligence of any other irrigator who subsequently conducts any irrigation
service on the same irrigation system.
(b) All trenches and holes created during the maintenance, alteration, repair, or service of an irrigation
system must be returned to the original grade with compacted select backfill.
(c) Colored PVC pipe primer solvent must be used on all pipes and fittings used in the maintenance,
alteration, repair, or service of an irrigation system in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code
(Section 316) or the International Plumbing Code (Section 605).
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Page 6
Chapter 344 - Landscape Irrigation
(d) When maintenance, alteration, repair or service of an irrigation system involves excavation work at the
water meter or backflow prevention device, an isolation valve shall be installed, if an isolation valve is not
present.
Adopted June 4, 2008 Effective January 1, 2009
§344.65. Reclaimed Water.
Reclaimed water may be utilized in landscape irrigation systems if:
(1) there is no direct contact with edible crops, unless the crop is pasteurized before consumption;
(2) the irrigation system does not spray water across property lines that do not belong to the irrigation
system's owner;
(3) the irrigation system is installed using purple components;
(4) the domestic potable water line is connected using an air gap or a reduced pressure principle backflow
prevention device, in accordance with §290.47(i) of this title (relating to Appendices);
(5) a minimum of an eight inch by eight inch sign, in English and Spanish, is prominently posted on/in the
area that is being irrigated, that reads, "RECLAIMED WATER - DO NOT DRINK" and "AGUA DE
RECUPERACIÓN - NO BEBER"; and
(6) backflow prevention on the reclaimed water supply line shall be in accordance with the regulations of
the water purveyor.
Adopted June 4, 2008 Effective January 1, 2009
Michael Arellano, CBCO
Chief Building Official
TEL 972-304-3506
FAX 972-304-3514