Irrigation in Windsor Square

The Basics

Windsor Square is fortunate to have flood irrigation, provided by Salt River Project. According to The Guardian (April 2021), only 1% of residential households in metro Phoenix are so lucky. Irrigation keeps our lawns green, our trees healthy, and our summer temps about 10° cooler than areas without irrigation.

That saves on summer cooling bills and the cost of water overall. According to Maricopa County, the average 0.231-acre WS yard, spends $100-$189 per month to water a lawn with City of Phoenix water, while a full year of irrigation costs $348, or $29 per month, regardless of yard size.

As irrigation goes, properties in Windsor Square fall into one of four categories:

• 1. Homes and/or businesses that have never had irrigation.
• 2. Homes and/or businesses that once had irrigation but no longer do. This may be because the owner doesn’t want irrigation, because old damage to the infrastructure has rendered part of the line incapable of carrying water, or because an area of the neighborhood was never included when the lines were laid (such as the south side of Pasadena Avenue).
• 3. Self-servers, also known as self-irrigators.
• 4. Water delivery customers, who pay to have their irrigation delivered.

Items 3 and 4 above are a common source of confusion.

In order to deliver your own water, you first register with SRP as a self-irrigator. You will get water at a different date and time than the water delivery customers. You must be available to take the water when it is scheduled, and you are required to operate any gates or valves from where the water enters the neighborhood, to route it to your yard. SRP will show you how to do this if you ask.

Many neighbors think they can be self-irrigators simply by opening their valve(s) when the water-delivery customers are being served. That is not true. Water delivery customers pay the District $87 per calendar quarter to have their water ordered and delivered for them. All they need to do is ensure that the irrigator has access to their valve(s).

Ensuring Safe Access for Irrigators

• If you are a water delivery customer, your yard must be safe for the irrigator to enter. Even friendly dogs can be unpredictable and protective of their home turf. Irrigators are not required to enter any yard where one or more dogs are at large.
• Recent incidents have involved dog bites, torn clothing, and broken skin. Please secure your pets on irrigation days to avoid disruptions in service.

Access to Valves Behind Locked Gates

• Some properties have their delivery valves in backyards, rear utility easements/alleys, or behind locked gates. If yours is one of them, you must coordinate access with the irrigator. This may require providing:
• A key
• A gate code
• Another approved access method
• Additionally, utility easements traversed by irrigators must be kept clear of trash and debris to ensure safe access to valves and stand boxes.

Please remember that delivery infrastructure components belong to the District, not individual homeowners.

If you have questions, please email the District Secretary, Ken Furtado, [email protected].