The long awaited and anticipated rule
changes to the Licensed Irrigator program have been signed into law.
After thousands of man hours, cussing and discussing, the final pieces
were accepted by the commissioners on June 26, 2008. Some of the rules
went into effect already, but the majority of the impact rules will take
effect for enforcement purposes on January 1, 2009. This just leaves
less than six months for the irrigation industry to make changes,
adjustments, and be in compliance of these new rules.
The last rule changes incorporated over 200 pages of
data. In the interest of saving time and printer ink and paper, we will
list the key sections that will have a direct impact on the licensed
irrigator. If you wish to print the entire TCEQ document you will need
to go to the following link:
http://www.TCEQ.state.tx.us/rules/adopt.html
More questions than answers on the TCEQ rule changes?
Do you have more questions on the TCEQ rules changes than you have
answers? List below are some informational packets that may answer
some of your questions. The TCEQ did develop an excellent piece
that addresses many of these questions. Click on the following
link to view these.
"Questions and Answers for Irrigators"
(This will link you to the TCEQ website)
There are also good questions and answers
for local governments. This will help you in understanding this
process from the city perspective. The link for this is:
"Questions
and Answers for Local Governments"
(This will link you
to the TCEQ website)
There has been much controversy
over the new position that has been created called "Irrigation
Technician". This newly created position will go into effect on
January 1, 2009. The individual who obtains this license will be
authorized by the TCEQ to install the backflow device, install the
irrigation system, and perform the newly required "Walk Through Check
List" under the supervision of the licensed irrigator. It is
extremely important to note that effective January 1, 2010 a
licensed individual will be required to be on the job site at all times.
This can either be a licensed irrigator or a licensed irrigation
technician.
Water Management Specialists is in
the process of obtaining TCEQ authorization to provide training for this
program. Once we have the formal authorization letter in hand, we
will immediately begin teaching this course in multiple cities as well
as offering customized training .
More information on the Irrigation
Technician will be posted as it is verified and confirmed.
To view the final copy of the Chapter 30
rules that will go into effect on January 1, 2009 click on the link
listed below.
"30
TAC 344 in effect January 1, 2009"
(This will link you to the TCEQ website)
List below is a brief synopsis of the
process, impact, and key topics of the rule changes.
AUTHORIZATION
Chapter 344 sections; 1, 23, 24, 30, 31, 33,
34, 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, 43, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 70, 71,
72, and 80
Texas Occupations Code 1903.053 and 1903.251
Texas Water Code 49.238
Local Government Code 401.006
HOUSE BILL (HB) 4
HOUSE BILL (HB) 1656
SENATE BILL (SB) 3
These changes were made by the 80th Legislature,
2007. "These adoptions address local, state and national demands for
conserving and protecting the state's water resources. Although
technology and conservation methods have evolved over the years, no
substantive changes have been incorporated into the existing rules since
1996. The adopted new rules will ensure that the agency's (TCEQ) rules
are up to date and consistent with statutory standards and help to
ensure that the rules are effective."
ENFORCEMENT
HB 1656 directs municipalities with populations of
20,000 or more to adopt ordinances that require irrigation systems
irrigators be licensed by the commission and obtain a permit before
installing an irrigation system. Municipalities must adopt standards
and specifications for designing, installing, and operating irrigation
systems and include rules adopted by the agency that are related to
landscape irrigation.
Municipalities may employ or contract with licensed
pluming inspector or licensed irrigation inspector to enforce the
ordinance. Municipalities may collect a fee to recover costs of the
program.. Municipalities must exempt on-site sewage systems,
agricultural irrigation systems, and irrigation systems connected to a
well and used by the property owner for domestic use. HB 1656 allows
water districts to adopt rules that meet the same criteria as
municipalities, except that districts may employ or contract with a
licensed plumbing inspector , licensed irrigation inspector, the
district's operator, or another governmental entity to enforce the
rules.
As required by HB 4 and SB 3, the commission must
adopt standards no later than June 1, 2008, with an effective date of
January 1, 2009. Therefore, the adopted effective date of the repeal of
he existing chapter 344 and replacement with new Chapter 344 is January
1, 2009.
KEY DATES
September 2007 - Enforcement section signed
into law authorizing all cities of 20,000 or more to hire inspectors
from free enterprise or add additional city inspectors. They were
authorized to charge what ever fees via fines to fund these positions.
June 26, 2008 - Final changes signed by the
Commissioners court adopting all of the rule changes
January 1, 2008 - All new rules changes are put
into place and will be enforced
July 1, 2008 - Irrigation Technician license
required to be in place
January 1, 2010 - There shall be an Irrigation
License on all job sites during the construction of the project
KEY POINTS
An irrigator shall prepare an irrigation plan for
each site where a new irrigation system will be installed, prior to
the installation of each new irrigation system.
A paper or electronic copy of this irrigation plan
must be on the job site at all times during the instillation of the
irrigation system.
A drawing showing the actual installation of the
system (As-Built) is due to each irrigation system owner after all
new irrigation system installations.
During the installation of the irrigation system,
variances from the original plan may be authorized by the licensed
irrigation if the variance from the plan does not:
A. Diminish the operational integrity of
the irrigation system
B. Violate any requirements of this
chapter
c. Go unnoted in red of the irrigation
plan
All irrigation plans used for construction must be
drawn to scale. The maximum scale for residential is 1:30 and the
maximum scale for commercial and athletic drawings shall be 1:40
In addition all plans must have:
A. The irrigator's seal, signature and
date of signing
B. All major physical features and the
boundaries of the areas to be watered
C. A north arrow
D. A legend
E. The zone flow measurement of each zone
F. Location and type of each:
1. Automatic Controller
2. Sensor (For example, but not
limited to rain, moisture, wind, flow or freeze)
G. Location, type, and size of each:
1. Water source, such as, but not
limited to a water meter and point(s) of connection
2. Backflow prevention devices
3. Water emission device,
including but not limited to spray heads, rotary sprinkler heads,
quick
couplers, bubblers, drip, or
micro-spray
4. Valves, including, but not
limited to, zone valves, master valves, and isolation valves
5. Pressure regulation component
6. Main line and lateral piping
H. The scale used
I. The design pressure
A. No irrigation designer installation
shall require the use of any component, including the water meter
in a way which exceeds the
manufacturer's published performance
B. New irrigation system shall not
utilize above ground spray emission devices in landscaped areas
that are less than 48 inches not
including impervious surfaces five feet in either length or width
and
which contain impervious pedestrian
or vehicular traffic surfaces along two or more perimeters.
C. Emission devices must be installed to
operate at the minimum and not above the maximum sprinkler
head pressure as published by the
manufacture for the nozzle and head spacing that is used
D. Piping in irrigation systems must be
designed and installed so that that the flow water in the pipe
will not exceed a velocity of five
feet per second for PVC pipe
E. Irrigation systems shall have separate
zones based on plant material type, micro-climate factors,
topographic features, soil
conditions, and hydrological requirements
F. Matched Precipitation Rates - Zones
must be designed and installed so that of the emission
devices in that zone irrigate at the
same precipitation rate.
G. Irrigation systems shall not spray
water over surfaces made of concrete asphalt, brick, wood,
stones set with mortar, or any other
impervious material.
H. All new irrigation systems installed
using PVC pipe and fittings shall be primed with colored primer
I. All new automatically controlled
irrigation systems must include sensor or other technology
