Reticulation is the sprinkler and drip system that waters a lawn or garden from a controller. In Perth it has to keep a garden alive through summer and follow the Water Corporation watering roster. This page covers the roster, scheme and bore supplies, controllers and common faults.
Reticulation is part of our wider residential landscaping Perth and garden maintenance Perth work. We install and repair reticulation systems.
How the Perth watering roster works
Your watering days are set by your street number. Enter your street number and postcode into the Water Corporation’s lookup to find them. Unit or villa numbers are not used. On a rostered day, sprinklers may be used once, before 9am or after 6pm.
Breaches carry an on-the-spot fine of $100. The Water Corporation says sprinklers used outside allocated days or times can attract an infringement even if a controller malfunctioned, so the controller program needs checking.
Garden bores in Perth and Mandurah can water on two rostered days a week, and the Water Corporation says bores follow the same rosters and times as scheme users.
No sprinklers may be used from 1 June to 31 August each year in Perth and the South West. Sprinklers can come back on from 1 September, on your rostered days.
Scheme or bore
Garden bores draw groundwater, and the rules depend on the aquifer. Small-scale garden watering from the shallow Superficial aquifer does not need a licence. In a proclaimed groundwater area you need one if you irrigate 0.2 hectares (2,000 m2) or more, use the bore commercially, or draw from an artesian aquifer such as Leederville or Yarragadee. If a shared bore cannot be set to water only on rostered days, it can be registered to avoid an infringement.
Controllers
The Water Corporation advises an automatic controller to save time and help prevent over- and underwatering. Use the seasonal setting, and switch the controller off during rain and in winter. Smart controllers adjust run times to local weather and can be programmed from a smartphone.
The Water Corporation calls “set and forget” the biggest mistake homeowners make, and advises checking the controller as often as weekly in summer. After a power outage, surge or nearby lightning, check the controller, replace backup batteries, and confirm the program still matches your watering days.
Installation and repairs
For installation, the Water Corporation recommends drip line for garden beds and rotary or gear-drive rotator sprinklers for lawns. Check the output with catch cups to confirm the 10 mm standard for Perth’s sandy soils in summer. Our turf work is on the lawn and turf installation Perth page, and the irrigation should go in before the turf.
For repairs, start with the same checks the Water Corporation’s maintenance advice lists: leaks and breaks, worn nozzles and damaged seals, and uneven or blocked spray patterns, which mean a head needs attention. Water should land on the garden, not the road or footpath.
If you would rather have the system looked at, call us. Reticulation installation and repairs are part of what we do, and we quote every job on site.
Common faults
- Leaks and breaks at fittings and sprinkler heads.
- Worn nozzles and broken seals, which throw water onto hard surfaces.
- Wrong run times after an outage, because older controllers can change programmed times when power fails.
- Watering on the wrong day, which can be an infringement even when the controller was at fault.
Suburbs we serve
Maida Vale, Kalamunda, Forrestfield, High Wycombe, Lesmurdie, Gooseberry Hill, Mundaring, Midland, Guildford, Bassendean and across the Perth metro area.
Where we work: landscaping Maida Vale, Kalamunda, Forrestfield, Midland, Mundaring and Claremont and the western suburbs.
Read more: Perth watering days, what is reticulation and our waterwise landscaping guide.
Get a free quote
We provide a free comprehensive quote. Call us on 0429 922 446, or get a free quote online.
Frequently asked questions
What is reticulation?
Reticulation is the sprinkler and drip system that waters a lawn or garden from a controller. In Perth, its sprinklers must follow the Water Corporation roster, for scheme and bore supplies alike.
When can reticulation be turned on in Perth?
Sprinklers are banned from 1 June to 31 August each year in Perth and the South West. They can come back on from 1 September, on your rostered days and only before 9am or after 6pm.
How much does reticulation cost?
Every job is quoted on site; call us and we will give you a price for your block. We provide a free comprehensive quote.
What are the Perth watering days for my suburb?
Enter your street number and postcode into the Water Corporation’s watering days lookup. Your days depend on the street number, not the unit number.
Do I need a licence for a garden bore?
Small-scale garden watering from the shallow Superficial aquifer does not need one. You need a licence in a proclaimed groundwater area if you irrigate 0.2 hectares or more, use the bore commercially, or draw from an artesian aquifer.