Pressurized Irrigation

Sources & Water Quality

2023 UPDATE: The Utah County Health Department has told the water department that the E. coli issue does not reside in Saratoga Springs. The E. coli issue in Lehi is not from water sources used by both cities such as Utah Lake. 

The City of Saratoga Springs has a complete pressurized irrigation water system built specifically for outside uses such as irrigating landscaping. The water rights for this system come from three irrigation grade wells, the Utah Lake Distributing Canal, and Utah Lake.  The City Secondary Water System is fed from a combination of ground water and surface water sources. These water sources are dependent on the weather and the amount of rain and snowpack accrued through the winter.  These sources can have shortages due to drought and other mitigating factors.  The quality of water from surface sources can be highly variable and may contain elevated levels of dissolved solids.

  • This is non-potable water and should never be used for drinking, cooking or playing in. 
  • Any produce grown in a garden using the pressurized irrigation system should be washed before eaten. 

Irrigation System Fee Schedule

Residents are charged a flat monthly rate for twelve months of the year for irrigation water. This rate pays for components and maintenance of the irrigation system. Through the irrigation season, residents pay an additional fee for the water they use. This water is charged based on a tiered rate structure. Water rates will increase based on water usage as residents use beyond the allotted amount for their property.

Irrigation Calculator

For more information on the fees associated with water use go to the Irrigation Calculator Page.

My Water Use Customer Portal

The My Water Use Customer Portal gives residents the ability to see hourly and historical water uses in both the culinary and irrigation systems. To sign up for the portal and to access your account go to My Water use Customer Portal Page.

Sprinkler Systems & Water Schedule

The irrigation system is charged the week of April 15 and drained on the week of October 15. Irrigation systems should not be turned on between 10 AM and 6 PM unless residents are establishing new grass or performing maintenance on their system. This schedule has been set up by the state and also allows time for the wells to recharge. Conservewater.utah.gov has a weekly watering guide that can help residents to know when to being watering each spring. Residents can access these and other helpful water-saving tips and links on the Water Conservation Page.

Irrigation Water Spring Charging

Public works will begin charging the irrigation system the week of April 15.  For the best water pressure, we ask residents to wait two weeks before accessing the system to allow it to fully charge. In addition, the water department audits the system at this time to ensure it is fully functional and any issues have been addressed.   

  • Residents should ensure the secondary water valve is in the off position to protect their individual sprinkling system while the City system charges.
  • Residents should turn off their sprinkler systems until they are ready to water their yards.
    • Residents should use the Department of Natural Resources Weekly Watering Guide to help determine when to begin watering their yards. Residents can access the weekly lawn watering guide by going to the DNR website at: DNR Weekly Lawn Watering Guide
  • Additional information on water conservation can be found on the Water Conservation Page.

Irrigation Water Fall Deactivation

  • The system will be deactivated until spring the week of October 15. 
  • Please leave your individual shut-off valves in the “open” position to allow for proper drainage of the system once the city system is turned off. 
    • Each irrigation system must be completely drained to prevent damage to system components caused by water freezing inside the pipes, sprinklers, and valves
    • After November 1 residents should close the individual shut-off ball valve to the “off ” position (this is typically perpendicular to the pipe) in preparation for spring.

Additional Information

All residents should use this water for their sprinkler systems. 

  • Home owner connections are located in a green box marked irrigation, located on a property line near the sidewalk. 
    • Typically, a 1 inch ball valve is provided for sprinkler system attachment. 
  • Cross connections between the culinary and irrigation water lines are illegal.
    • If you think your lines may be cross connected and would like it checked, please contact the Public Works department. They can help determine if a line is cross connected and if so, assist you in getting it fixed.

Best practices:

  • Use infrequent heavy irrigation to promote deeper roots.
  • Mow less frequently and higher lawn mower blade height to reduce stress to lawn, using a sharp mowing blade so the blade of grass heals quicker.
  • Incorporation of low salt containing organic matter such as peat or compost will also help because the soil will be able to hold more water, and salinity levels will thereby be diluted.
  • Irrigate at night or early morning to avoid evaporation loss and concentration of salts on leaves. Do not irrigate during the heat of the day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
  • Try not to irrigate in windy weather conditions.
  • Do not irrigate as a fine mist.
  • It is important to schedule irrigation based on crop needs using evaporation figures from weather stations and other irrigation scheduling equipment.
  • Thoroughly wash all produce before eating; never use irrigation as drinking water.
  • Trickle irrigation can improve water placement better than overhead spray irrigation.