Sprinklers and irrigation
Sprinkler Line Leaks in Boise Yards
How a sprinkler leak shows up depends on where the water comes from. Plenty of Boise yards water from household supply through the Veolia meter, and many newer subdivisions use separate pressure irrigation drawn from the river system. Only the first one shows on your water bill.
Your call is handed to a Boise plumbing office, and the hand-off can leave a short silence. Leave the call open until a person comes on.
Is your system on household water or pressure irrigation?
If you pay a separate irrigation charge, or your HOA or an irrigation district bills for it, you're probably on pressure irrigation. Those systems have their own valve box and their own season, and they shut down in the fall. The City of Boise runs pressure irrigation in some newer subdivisions, and irrigation districts run others.
A leak on pressure irrigation won't move your Veolia meter, but it can still flood a yard or soak a crawl space. A leak on a system fed from household water does show up on the meter and the bill.
Signs of a buried sprinkler leak
A soggy spot that stays wet between cycles. Low pressure on one zone, or heads that barely pop up. A sinkhole along the line of a lateral. And on household water, a meter that only races when the irrigation is on. One caller described it exactly: "when the irrigation valve is on, it's running really fast."
Mainline or lateral?
The mainline is pressurized whenever the system's main valve is open. Laterals are pressurized only when their zone runs. So a spot that's wet with every zone off but the main open points to the mainline or a valve. A spot that only appears while one zone runs points to that zone's lateral, or a cracked fitting near a head. Running each zone in turn and watching usually tells you which.
Startup season and blowouts
Lines that weren't blown out in the fall can freeze and split, and the leak only shows at spring startup. Backflow devices crack in freezes too, and water spraying from the device near the house is the giveaway. Sprinkler startup leaks
Wet spot you can't trace?
Short pause, then a person.
Who to call
A plumbing company is often the right call for the mainline from the house supply, the backflow device, or anything under concrete or close to the foundation. Some also handle irrigation, and sprinkler companies handle heads and zones. Ask on the call. Veolia's tariff expects customers to repair sprinkler leaks promptly, the same as service line leaks.
Before you hire anyone
Ask whether they work on irrigation mainlines and backflow devices, how locating is billed, and whether the repair needs a permit or a backflow test afterward. Confirm their Idaho license through DOPL and their insurance.
Your call is handed to a Boise plumbing office, and the hand-off can leave a short silence. Leave the call open until a person comes on.
Questions about sprinkler leaks
Can a sprinkler leak raise my water bill?
Yes, if your sprinklers run on household water through the Veolia meter. On pressure irrigation it won't show on that bill.
Who fixes a leaking backflow preventer?
Under Veolia's tariff, required backflow devices are installed and maintained at the customer's expense.
Is it the water line or the sprinkler line?
Turn the irrigation off at its main valve and check the meter. If it stops moving, the sprinkler system is the likely source.
When does pressure irrigation shut off for the season?
It varies by district and system. Check with whoever runs the pressure irrigation in your subdivision.
Related: water line leaks · high water bill checks · Southeast Boise · West Boise · wet spot in the lawn