Question
I have a lawn irrigation system with 6 zones and a one horse pump. I believe the well is 45 feet deep. The system has worked fine for 20 years and the water is clean. I haven't had to turn the pump on for about 6 months but three days ago when I did turn the pump on, I could barely get a water flow out of the system, the pressure wasn't strong enough to operate and lift the rainbirds. I tried to prime the pump and I tried to run the punp for a while to get the pressure up to no avail. Any ideas of what might have happened to the system or what I need to check would be most appreciated. Thanks, Mike B. Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Answer
Make sure all valves are fully open.  My first impression is that the foot valve at the end of your suction line may be plugged with debris.  It will be necessary to pull the line out of the well to check it, so unless you are familiar with the process, it is best done by a service person.