Opening and Closing the Piped Irrigation System in Spring and Autumn Opening the system:
The system is opened in the spring when the danger of a hard freeze has passed
1. Begin by going to each lot’s big irrigation valve, making sure the homeowner’s valve is CLOSED. There are valves located above Linda’s house, at Kiersten’s, Moe’s, Jeanne’s, lot 9, Peter’s, and Bill’s home.
2. While doing #1 above, use the special rebar tool to CLOSE the drain located at the bottom of a capped white pipe next to the valve. Contact each drain valve with the tool and turn it CLOCKWISE to close it. The drains are located next to the irrigation valves at lot 9, at Jeanne’s, and by the wide green gate near the travel trailer on Peter’s lot.
3. Next, go to the diversion box at the ditch with a shovel. Muck out the box until you can see the screen clearly at the bottom. Also, muck out any mud and goo just past the box so that the water has room to move.
4. OPEN the big valve at the diversion box by turning it counterclockwise all the way.
5. Go to Lot 9’s irrigation valve, open it, and allow it to run full until the water runs clear. Then close the valve. 4. You can now let the homeowners know that the water is “on” for the season.
CLOSING THE SYSTEM
In the fall when a hard freeze seems imminent, and not later than mid-
1. Go to the diversion box at the ditch and CLOSE the big valve by turning it clockwise all the way. Listen closely for any trickle of water and close the valve until you hear no trickle going into the system.
2. Go to each of the homeowner’s drain valves and use the special rebar tool to OPEN the drain located at the bottom of a capped white pipe next to the irrigation valve. Contact each drain valve with the tool and turn it to COUNTERCLOCKWISE to open it. The drains are located next to the irrigation valves at lot 9, at Jeanne’s, and by the wide green gate near the travel trailer on Peter’s lot.
3. While at lot 9, OPEN the irrigation valve and allow it to run, emptying the system completely. Leave the valve open.
4. Now go to all the homeowner’s irrigation valves and OPEN all of them, leaving them open for the winter. 5. You can now let the homeowners know the water is “off” for the season.