Well, I just got done eating dinner with my family and have stepped in to my office to do my daily writing. I was answering my customer emails a little earlier and ran across a question from a gentlemen who is thinking about pulling water out of a lake in his back yard to supply water to his lawn sprinkler system.

Using Lake Water for a Landscape Irrigation System

Pulling water out of a body of water where you can legally do so can be an excellent alternative to city water or having your own personal well. The main thing you'll want to make sure is that the water is not contaminated, and second make sure that there are no legal restriction to you using this water source.

You can get a water sample and send it in to any number of water purification companies. They'll have their labs test it and send you results back in the mail. You want to make sure that the water doesn't contain too many unnatural contaminants before using. Most likely you will be fine. Check with your local public works or county growth department to find out if you can legally use this source.

After you've cleared all of that up, it's time to get to work. Now the instructions listed below will work for MOST systems, not all. I always recommend that you double check with a professional irrigation or well contractor before actually setting up to make sure you have covered everything. With that in mind, here's how you can pull water out of a lake for use with your residential lawn sprinkler system:

You'll want to get a 1&1/2 HP horizontal centrifugal pump (Sta-Rite is the brand I'd recommend). You'll need to get a small concrete square slab (about 2' X 2') to place the pump on. Dig a small square area and place the square slab there, then mount your pump on top.

On the suction side of the pump, you'll install a 2" brass (Strata Flow is the brand I recommend) check valve right after a 2" X 1" thread X thread galvanized nipple.

You'll need some kind of filtration to keep all the nasty lake stuff out of your pump. I like the Sure-Flow (self-cleaning filters) brand and they can handle up to 50 gallons per minute, which is more than enough.

Follow the instructions on the filter. It attaches onto the end of the 2" pipe going into the lake. There is also a spot for a 3/4" return line which makes the filter spin. You'll start this 3/4" line starts right after the output side of your pump and end it in the 3/4" spot on the filters.

You'll then extend 2" pipe, 3/4" pipe and filter down into the lake. You will need to make sure that the filter is at least 18" from the bottom of the lake and 2' submerged under the water so that it will pull water properly.

It really is easier than it sounds, you just have to get out there and do it! The biggest problem you may face is trudging through the murky water of the lake, be careful! If you are ever in doubt, call the help of a qualified professional.