Fast-growing towns outside the city: Rolleston and Lincoln in Selwyn, and Rangiora, Kaiapoi and the planned town of Pegasus in Waimakariri, with a high share of homes built in the last two decades. We design and install drip and sprinkler systems, fit the backflow protection your council requires, connect rainwater tanks and pumps, and set the system up to survive Christchurch winters.
Irrigation across Selwyn and Waimakariri: metered water, restricted supplies and frost
Garden irrigation outside the city has to suit very different water arrangements. In Selwyn, households pay a fixed charge plus a charge for every cubic metre, and almost all homes on council supplies are metered, so an efficient system in Rolleston or Lincoln saves money directly. In Waimakariri, Rangiora, Kaiapoi and Pegasus draw on Waimakariri District Council supplies, while many rural properties are on restricted supplies that trickle through a restrictor into a tank.
Any garden system tied into a drinking water supply has to have backflow protection, at a level that depends on the setup. Rural properties using water for farming or other non domestic purposes need boundary backflow prevention. Lifestyle blocks around these towns may water from a tank or a bore, which needs a pump and filter matched to the system so emitters do not clog.
New subdivisions in Rolleston, Lincoln and Pegasus are the easiest places to get irrigation right, because lines and valves can go in before lawns and gardens. Canterbury frosts split exposed pipe and valves, so we design for drainage and show you how to winterise. In dry summers, drip lines and timed zones use far less water than sprinklers, which matters most where every cubic metre is charged.
Before designing, we test the pressure and flow available outside, because new subdivision supplies, tank pumps and older rural lines all deliver differently, and zone sizes have to match what the supply can give. Pegasus homes around the lake often have small, exposed gardens where wind affects sprinklers, so drip lines usually work better there. In Kaiapoi, older sections may have established trees whose roots need allowing for. Lincoln's older grid streets near the town centre have established gardens and hedges, so retrofits there are mostly about converting old sprinklers to drip.
Local tip: In Selwyn, read your water meter before and after installing irrigation, so you can see what the system actually uses.
For anything else, see our plumbers in Selwyn and Waimakariri.
Pricing: quotes are free, and every job gets a fixed price before we start, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Irrigation Jobs We Do in Selwyn and Waimakariri
- Drip irrigation installer
- Irrigation repairs
Irrigation Selwyn and Waimakariri FAQs
Will irrigation increase my water bill in Rolleston?
It can, because Selwyn charges by the cubic metre. A well designed system with drip lines and timers usually uses less water than hand watering.
Do I need to drain my irrigation for winter?
Yes. Water left in pipes, valves and backflow devices can freeze and split them in a Christchurch frost. We drain down and protect the system in autumn.
Do I need a backflow preventer for garden irrigation in Christchurch?
Christchurch City Council requires a boundary backflow device for irrigation systems with underground controllers. Even where one is not required at the boundary, internal protection under G12 applies.