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Irrigation Association of New York

Consumer Bill of Rights Introduction

The following Bill of Rights is adapted by Cornell Cooperative Extension-Nassau County from a document prepared by Dr. Charles Burt, California Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo, Calif. This checklist will help both the homeowner and contractor/designer make the appropriate selection of design options to create a sprinkler system that will be efficient and will afford many years of cost-effective service.


Contractor/Designer Qualifications
  • Do the contractor and his employees have the necessary licenses and insurance?
  • Is the contractor able to secure bonding?
  • What are the contractor/designer credentials (formal training, references, contractor/designer certifications by the Irrigation Association)?
  • Does the contractor/designer belong to the local or national Irrigation Associations and abide by their standards.


General Design/Installation Features

  • What is the life expectancy of the system components?
  • What safety features have been included?
    1. Backflow
    2. Master valve
  • What are the options for future upgrades?
    1. Adding new zones
  • Does the system meet all electrical and plumbing codes?


Specific Operating/Design Parameters

  • What will be the distribution uniformity on the irrigated areas?  Is water distributed evenly?
    1. Matched-precipitation sprinkler heads
    2. Slopes
    3. Wind consideration
    4. Sprinkler-operating pressure
    5. Head-to-head coverage
  • Does the system provide a rain sensor and a rain-sensor bypass switch?
  • Water requirement?
    • What is the application rate (quantity of water applied per hour or per minute) of the sprinkler-system zones?
    • What is the anticipated quantity and cost of water used per year?
    • What is the recommended programming for the sprinkler system used?
Plant Needs
  • Will the bed space be separated from the lawn space, since water requirements of lawn generally vary from that of ornamental plants?
  • Will the controller box be suitable to incorporate drip irrigation into bed space or specialty gardens (i.e. vegetable, rose, herb)?
  • Will a separate zone for curb-strip watering be applicable?
  • Will the zones be divided into sunny areas vs. shady areas?


Estimate

  • What does the estimate include?
    1. Price of system including labor, material, all local taxes and permits.
    2. Sprinkler-system design, specifications, parts list, cut sheets, guarantees.
    3. Cost of design, if any.


Warranties

  • Who provides equipment installation, start-up and adjustment, winterization?
  • What are the warranties on individual components and system-design performance?
  • Does the contractor indicate the location of each zone on the space provided for on the controller box?
  • Who is providing warranties and what do the warranties cover and exclude?
  • Are the providers financially capable of standing behind their warranties?
  • What is the availability of replacement parts?
  • Does the contractor provide operating instructions to the consumer?

Building Strong and Vibrant New York Communities

Cornell Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities. NYS College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, NYS College of Human Ecology, and NYS College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Cooperative Extension associations, county governing bodies, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

 

        
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