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

[Gene Waugh]

Back where I worked, many house supply lines had been installed with 125 - 150 psi rated black flexible poly pipe.  I saw (and repaired) probably hundreds of leaks caused by a rock bearing against the pipe, setting up stresses which, through the years, would cause a leak.  I usually used 200 psi rated poly pipe; hard to work with, but I never went back for a repair.  

I do believe that the root could grow into a joint---have not seen this on a water line, but many, many on sewer lines.  Knowing how tenacious the Osage Orange/Bois D'Arc is, I believe it even more!


Gene
Gene Waugh
Elgin, Illinois USA


On Jan 3, 2013, at 6:17 AM, Cecil R Bearden wrote:

> The root had actually grown around the pipe and then as it expanded it 
> squeezed the pipe and since it was at a joint it started leaking.   I 
> would not bet that that tree could not tell that water was in a pipe.  
> They are also known as Osage Orange...    The tree will grow in a fence 
> row and a 30 yr old tree will only be 3 to 4 inches in diameter.   The 
> wood is very fine grained and when dry it is like a rock.  As I remember 
> the staircase in the chapel in Santa Fe has Osage Orange as the small 
> spindles that hold the staircase together.  Here it is known as Bois 
> D'Arc a french name for wood of Bows.  The Indians used it to make 
> Bows.  I know of a Bowmaker here who uses it for some very expensive and 
> fine looking bows.     I have dug up one of the trees and pulled a 
> feeder root nearly 200 ft.  I guess that is the reason it can grow in 
> this dry prairie.
> Cecil in OKla
> 
> 
> On 1/2/2013 8:55 PM, Dave Rotigel wrote:
>> Doubtful that the root caused the leak. More likely that the leak caused the root!
>> 	Dave
>> 
>> On Jan 2, 2013, at 8:59 PM, Cecil R Bearden wrote:
>>>   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
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
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