As soon as the weather turns dry, the pump irrigation questions start. Running a sprinkler system from a rainwater tank, watering polytunnels from a stream, moving water across a field. They are all irrigation problems, and they are solved by getting three things right: your water source, the pressure and flow you need, and the rules on taking water. This is the overview; the deeper detail on drawing from a watercourse and on sprinklers is in the linked guides below.
You will find the full range, with a built-in pump finder to shortlist by source, flow and head, on our irrigation pumps page.
Start with your water source
The water source decides the type of pump before anything else.
- From a tank, water butt or rainwater store: a surface pump beside it works well, or a clean-water submersible dropped straight into it. For a hose or sprinklers, the automatic APP MVH-10 sits in the tank and gives the pressure a sprinkler needs. If a surface pump sits above the water, it must be self-priming and within its practical suction reach (see below).
- From a stream, pond or river: where the water is genuinely clean and clear, a submersible such as the MVH-10 drives sprinklers well, provided it is suspended above the bed so it does not draw up sand or silt. A self-priming surface pump on the bank is the alternative, within its practical lift. Silty, muddy or debris-laden water instead needs a solids-tolerant pump, and for high volume or an off-grid site an engine-driven pump. Always confirm the water quality at your own extraction point, because it varies by location and season, and read our detailed guide to pumping water from a river or stream.
- From a borehole or well: use a borehole or well pump that sits down in the water. A clean well can also suit the MVH-10 for irrigation.
A note on suction lift for surface pumps
A surface pump on the bank draws water up to itself using atmospheric pressure, so there is a hard limit to how far below it the water can sit. In practice, keep the lift well below the pump's maximum rating, allowing a margin of around 2 metres, because suction hose length, bends, air leaks and warm water all reduce it. A pump rated to 8 metres of suction lift is best used at no more than about 6 metres, and a Honda engine pump rated to 6 metres at no more than about 4. If the water is further down than that, use a submersible pump in the water instead. This is the same principle as never running a submersible at its maximum head. The full detail is in our guide to pumping from a river or stream.
Work out pressure and flow
Irrigation is rarely about moving large volumes gently. Sprinklers and drip systems need pressure to work properly, and that is where many setups fall short. Two figures matter:
- Flow, in litres per minute, is how much water you need at once. Add up every sprinkler or outlet running at the same time.
- Pressure is what makes the sprinklers throw a proper spray, and you must allow for the pressure lost to friction along long or narrow pipe runs, which adds up over distance.
This is why multistage booster and submersible pumps are often used for irrigation. They use stacked impellers (the spinning parts that move the water, arranged in series so each adds pressure) to build the pressure a sprinkler system needs without a large motor. For a small garden a single self-priming pump may suffice; for sprinkler systems and field watering, a pump that holds pressure earns its place. Our Water Pump Performance Calculator shows how pipe length and bore affect what reaches the nozzle, and our guide to what pump you need for garden sprinklers covers the pressure side in full.
Match the pump to the scale
| What you are watering | A good starting point |
|---|---|
| Garden, allotment, single hose or small sprinkler | Self-priming surface pump or automatic demand pump, such as the FL Demand Pump |
| Sprinklers from a clean tank, butt, rainwater store or clean well | Automatic submersible, the APP MVH-10 |
| Sprinkler system with several outlets | Booster pump such as the Speroni RA(M) or RSX range |
| Borehole or well-fed irrigation | Borehole or well pump, or the Divertron for automatic pressure on demand |
| Fields, no mains power, high volume | Engine-driven pump |
| Slightly dirty water from a pond or ditch | Speroni GA(M)100 open-impeller pump, or a solids-tolerant submersible such as the APP KHL |
Not sure which row you fall in? The pump finder on our irrigation pumps page shortlists options by your source, flow and head.
Know the rules before you take water
This part is easy to overlook. In England, if you take water from a river, stream, canal, pond or from underground and use more than 20,000 litres (20 cubic metres) a day, you generally need an abstraction licence from the Environment Agency. Abstraction simply means taking water from the natural environment. Smaller amounts are usually exempt, but lower limits apply in some protected areas and to some uses, and Scotland and Wales operate their own systems through SEPA and Natural Resources Wales. We cover the detail in our guide to water abstraction licences explained.
During a hosepipe ban, restrictions can also apply to how you water, so check your water company's current position in a dry summer. A quick check with the relevant authority before drawing from a watercourse can save a lot of trouble, and we are happy to point you in the right direction.
A note on drinking water
If irrigation water could connect back to a mains drinking supply, that connection must be protected, and any pump in contact with mains water must be WRAS approved (the UK certification for fittings used on drinking water). Many general irrigation pumps are not WRAS approved and are for non-potable use only, which is fine for irrigation but worth knowing.
Frequently asked questions
What pump do I need to run garden sprinklers?
You need enough pressure to drive the sprinklers, roughly 2 to 3 bar for most domestic types, and enough flow for all the outlets running at once. Add up the flow of every sprinkler running together, then allow extra for the pressure lost along the pipe run. From a clean tank, butt or well the automatic MVH-10 submersible is a strong choice; from an above-ground tank a surface booster suits. Our guide to what pump you need for garden sprinklers covers it in full.
Can I pump irrigation water from a stream or pond?
Yes. Where the water is clean and clear, a submersible pump such as the MVH-10, suspended above the bed so it does not draw sediment, drives sprinklers well, or a self-priming surface pump on the bank works within its practical suction lift. Silty or debris-laden water needs a solids-tolerant pump instead, and for high volume or off-grid sites an engine-driven pump. Confirm the water quality at your extraction point, and check the rules on taking water first.
Do I need a licence to take water from a river or borehole?
In England, taking more than 20,000 litres (20 cubic metres) a day generally needs an abstraction licence from the Environment Agency, with lower limits in some protected areas and for some uses. Scotland and Wales have their own systems. Always check before you start.
Are irrigation pumps suitable for drinking water?
Many are not WRAS approved and are for non-potable use only. That is fine for irrigation, but if there is any connection to a mains drinking supply, the connection must be protected and a WRAS-approved pump used.
