TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – The city of Twin Falls is turning on its pressurized irrigation system.

Two PI stations were turned on Wednesday, said Vicki Wagner, administrative assistant with the city’s Public Works Department, and another two systems were turned on Thursday. Additional stations will be turned on over the next week or so, she said.

The city urges homeowners who rely on pressurized irrigation to check their sprinklers and to avoid overwatering.

“It would be good if people would check their sprinkler system for broken pipes or heads,” Wagner said, noting that once the system is turned on water could cause damage to lawns if a sprinkler system is not checked and repaired.

Bulging lawns may indicate an underground leak, and spots that feel spongy are often due to overwatering. Additional information from the city explains:

Residents are also asked to schedule watering times over a 24-hour period to avoid overwhelming pressurized irrigation stations. Pressurized irrigation stations can become overwhelmed when homeowners irrigate at the same time or for too long — typically during the evening and night. When this occurs, the irrigation station serving the subdivision will shut down and customers will receive little or no water to sprinklers systems.

The city uses more than 20 pressurized stations that affect subdivisions in many parts of Twin Falls. Residents can go online to check the status of their subdivision.

The PI stations are typically activated in late April or early May after the canal system is charged for the season. The pump stations are turned off, drained and winterized in about October when the canal system is drained for winter.

Pressurized irrigation water is not safe to drink because it comes from an open canal system and is not treated. The city says that its irrigation system reduces demand on the aquifer by nearly 5 million gallons per day.

_____

Andrew Weeks may be reached at Andrew.Weeks@townsquaremedia.com or 208-737-6012

More From News Radio 1310 KLIX