[AT] County/City Water Connection: What size meter to use?

[Mike Sloane]

A couple of issues: wheat is the water pressure at the street? if it is
up near 80 psi or more, you don't have to worry about pressure. In fact,
you might want to think about a pressure reducer if it is that high (if
you want your hot water heater and toilets to last more than a year).

I think you will be fine with the 3/4" meter. If you want to run a 1"
line to the house to avoid friction losses on the long run, the cost of
slightly larger pipe is minimal.

If you think that there is a likelihood of connecting up to the
municipal/county sewer system in the future, you might want to think
about putting the waste line in while you have the trench open (and, in
fact you might want to think about laying in conduits for electric,
cable, city gas, and telco too. There are rules about the distances
those conduits should be from each other, but doing it all now will save
a lot of time, effort, and expense later on. Leave pull wires/cords in
the conduits and take pictures so you can find them later on.

Just my opinion, not backed up by any real data,

Mike

On 1/2/2013 6:06 PM, Al Jones wrote:
>
> WARNING: OFF TOPIC!
>
> My wife and I are building a house, and it’s time to put the water
> meter down out at the highway.  This is my first experience with
> “county water,” as I have always lived in a house on its own well.
> I am hoping that the convenience of not maintaining a pump will be
> worth it in  the long run.  Plus, we will be living in the town ETJ,
> and I expect “one of these days” they will run a municipal sewer
> line and we’ll have to connect anyway.
>
> I have a choice of a meter with a 3/4" hookup, pretty much the
> standard deal around here, or a 1” hookup.  The 1” meter is $170
> more than the 3/4" meter, but the highway robbery, uh, I mean “impact
> fee” is $1600 more for the 1” meter.  Our house is between 800 and
> 900 feet from the road and where the meter will be.  Should I bite
> the bullet and go for the 1” connection or will a 3/4" line give
> acceptable pressure and flow?  My contractor suggests the 1” meter,
> and I have had others advise either one will work.  One even
> suggested just installing the 3/4" meter but run a 1" pipe to the
> house.
>
> We won't be doing anything fancy, just water needs for a 3 bedroom,
> 2.5 bath house.  No lawn irrigation other than filling up a watering
> can when I plant marigolds or something.
>
> When the meter goes in, I intend to run the line to the house
> myself. If so, I will be using the 424 IH with a middlebuster to dig
> the trench (if it will go deep enough) and the Super A with IH Fast
> Hitch blade to backfill.....
>
>
> thanks, Al
>
>
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