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

[Alan Nadeau]

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
>