Tulsa requiring second meter for lawn sprinkler systems

Thursday, May 30th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

All the hot weather that's soon to come will mean watering your lawn more. If you're planning to install an irrigation system, youâ€™d better do it by Friday or itâ€™s going to get more expensive. News on Six reporter Rick Wells explains why.

It won't be long, and a green lawn will require lots of water. If you water your own lawn, you've got to set up the sprinkler, move the hose, turn it on and off. So, many folks have irrigation systems installed. Takes the work out of watering, those systems are about to get more expensive.

Some systems are very extensive, also very expensive, even the simplest system can cost thousands of dollars to install. After this week the city of Tulsa will require a second water meter to measure the water used by the sprinkler system. Installation of that can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of even the smallest systems.

So you've been busy? Jeff Workman with Ried Irrigation: "Yes we have." His crews have been busy because many customers want to get a system installed before they are required to install that second water meter. Assistant City Public Works Director Mike Buchert says the deadline is this weekend. "Any new system that goes in will have to have a new water meter to service it.â€

Without a second meter. All water use gets charged at a higher sanitary sewer rate whether the water goes down the sewer or onto the lawn. So the second meter could eventually result in a lower water bill, and will help the city monitor the types of water usage. That will help in planning for future water shortages like those experienced in Bartlesville.

Some people have complained about the cost to install that second meter. Rick Wells suggests you check with the Public Works Department, because Tulsaâ€™s guidelines have changed, making the installation easier and cheaper.