Water World: Sprinkler smarts

Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Company: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

When an irrigation installation project popped up at Texas Christian University (TCU), Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting was sure to raise its hand.

The multiphase job involved creating more than 100 zones that separated out beds, turf and trees while considering the area’s shady and sunny areas. To begin the project, the four- to six-person crew from Andy’s worked alongside a local landscape company, Site Planning Site Development, to haul off excess soil.

They then marked bed lines and grass locations, installed the sprinkler pipe with the help of a Ditch Witch SK755 with a trencher attachment (and sometimes hand shovels in tight spaces), removed excess rock and finally, backfilled the trenches with fresh soil.

Initial challenges included coordinating efforts with the landscape company and university and contending with the site’s rocky soil. The team overcame these by maintaining open lines of communication and bringing in new soil.

The team used Toro’s Sentinel Controller, as well as Toro valves and heads, with the Toro 570Z-6P-SI as the main head.

All in all, Andy’s installed the Toro irrigation system throughout 3 acres of TCU’s campus, according to Matthew Chapman, division owner for the company’s Southlake division.

“It’s been a fun project working with the landscapers,” Chapman says. “We’ve got teams that work really well together.”

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

The team at Andy’s had to account for different types of plant material.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

Once the team at Andy’s completes the multiphase project, Matthew Chapman, division owner of the company’s Southlake division, says he hopes TCU will rely on Andy’s for future irrigation work.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

Hand shovels were sometimes used during the process.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting made use of Toro heads and valves, as well as a Toro controller.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

Andy’s had to make sure crew members wore proper personal protective equipment when necessary.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

It’s possible that following the project at TCU, Andy’s will raise its hand for future irrigation project opportunities at the campus.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

Several different factors had to be taken into consideration to determine the proper type of irrigation required.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

Plant type played an important role in determining which type of irrigation would be necessary.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

Flower beds were watered differently than turf and trees.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

All in all, the irrigation project spanned about 3 acres of TCU’s campus.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

In some instances, the team had to make do with hand shovels to get the job done.

Photo: Andy’s Sprinkler, Drainage & Lighting

The team at Andy’s was careful to take into consideration which areas of the campus received more sun than others and planned the zones accordingly.