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

[Cecil R Bearden]

When we buried a lot of lines with an open trench, we filled the trench 
about 1/2 full of water and the pipe was also full, then backfill 
slowly.  I had only one leak in 20years with doing it that way.   BTW 
the leak was from a BoisD'Arc tree root growing into the pipe at a joint.

Cecil in OKla

On 1/2/2013 7:42 PM, Alan Nadeau wrote:
> It has been a while since I ran any water lines.  In your case I would go
> with 1" pipe but a 3/4" meter, the 1" will maintain flow better than the
> 3/4" will over any distance.  Back when I was involved in such work it was
> pretty common for chintzy builders to run the cheapest pipe they could buy.
> At that time I think it was rated for 80 PSI.  I had the pleasure of working
> the trench when my employer replaced many of those.  The pipe he used then
> (he was NOT a chintzy builder) was something like 120 or 160 PSI rated.  The
> 80# junk would puncture if a stone got anywhere near it.  In our stony (VT)
> soil the only way it would last was if it was bedded in sand.  Nobody did
> that as it was expensive so the weakest possible pipe got direct buried and
> as the fill settled any stones in there would crimp/kink the pipe and in 6-7
> years it would be leaking.  I'm not even sure the 80# is even made now but
> if it is it should be avoided unless you are in really nice sand.  Go with
> the heaviest rated pipe you can get.  It will require a little heat to get
> fittings into it and it is wise to use marine grade hose clamps.  The
> automotive ones have a carbon steel screw on a stainless band.  When the
> screw disintegrates the clamping force is lost.  The marine ones are
> completely stainless steel and while more costly they add only a fraction to
> the cost of the whole project.
>
> Even with the heavy pipe, if you're working with a dug trench it is wise to
> try to keep clean fill over the pipe for a couple inches and not drop any
> big rocks down near the bottom if you can avoid it.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Al Jones" <farmallsupera at earthlink.net>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2013 6:06 PM
> Subject: [AT] County/City Water Connection: What size meter to use?
>
>
>> 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
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> AT mailing list
>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at