installing water supply line from street to house.

[robmurr]

Asking this for a neighbor setting up his mountain property mobile home. He wants to do this all himself... Needs to install 200 ft of line from the meter to house. He was going to use ordinary PVC so that would mean about 20 coupling joints that could fail. I know Copper is best but he could never solder it. I had mine replaced and they used Pvc material with a flared end on one end of each piece so no couplers needed. one piece slid into the other then was glued. I dont know what that pipe is called but I think it was rated at 450psi.. Any suggestions? I told him to dig the trench and get a pro out there.

[Colbyt]

Most rural locations around here use the black hose (Poly?, not sure of the composition). Means no underground joint for most runs. Use clamps at each end to convert to regular fittings.

I put one of these in in 1969 for my grandparents and it is still working today.

Colbyt

[buffalobill]

if the water meter is subject to freezing he'll want to send some underground wire down the trench for a heater circuit. don't forget an extra circuits for the doorbell, gate, camera, cable tv, intercom, wild animal sensors...

when trenching call the underground line companies, for gas-water-electric existing lines to be marked so there is no danger from the trenching contractor. checking with the neighbors to see if their water lines freeze may help him plan to go deeper than he thought.

see also plumbing codes for your particular state-county-town. hiring a local plumber who already knows all this would be worth it, and he can follow the plumber's instructions.

a local old-timer expert is needed.

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

Hey the biggest part of the job is digging the holes. Then get him like Colbyt said get the 20 foot joints with coupling already on them. This would be only 10 coupling and learn how to make glue joints before starting. Also use the wet or dry glue and turn on pressure before covering up pipe to trailor to check for leaks. Also put it " deep below " the frost line if you can.

TURTLE

[robmurr]

Thanks Turtle, is there a special name for that type of PVC pipe? Not to be found at Home Depot, I checked. I guess a real plumbing supply place. Here in Georgia we dont have to go too deep to stop freezing but deeper is better. Yes test before backfilling hole for sure. This was pasture land and there is no gas lines, no underground electric No underground cable, no telephone lines, etc but would not hurt to check for free.

[wkearney99]

Bear in mind that by following local code and getting a permit the line will presumable also end up registered in the digging database.

I can't imagine that it's legal to run a house supply from the municpal water service without getting a permit for it. Don't half-ass it here, get a permit, follow the code and just avoid the eventual headaches.

[Colbyt]

Turtle was just recommending the 20 foot section of PVC pipe that have an attached coupler to one end. This is commonly used in irrigation systems. No reason it would not work.

What I recommended in my earlier post is sold in big rolls and you would have no gluing to do. It may or may not be legal in your area. It is sold a plumbing supply stores and "farm and ranch" stores like Southern States if you have them in Georgia.

Colbyt

[George E. Cawthon]

The same type of stuff is used around here, not only for irrigation, but also for domestic supply. It is recommended in some places where electrolytic processes eat holes in copper. The slightly more expensive stuff has a heavier wall ad is rated at about 140 psi. Can't come close to the 30 years for your grand-parents, My father used it to run a long line to irrigated an area located about 300 feet from the supply with an intervening forest. So he just laid it on the ground. I suppose he drained it each winter since it gets down below 0 regularly. I ran a buried line for irrigation and then built shed with a concrete pad above it. Of course the automatic drain didn't and the line froze and broke beneath the concrete pad. So I just ran a line on top of the ground. I thought the sun would deteriorate it quickly but it is still fine after more than 15 years. I wouldn't hesitate to use it for a water supply line.

[Harry K]

No special name that I am aware of, just PVC. I have a 1/4 mile run I put in back in 1977 or 78 and have had no problems with it. Any regular plumbing shop will have it in 20 ft lengths. I am surprised that the big box stores don't have it also. It is cheap, easy to work with and durable. Do go with the schedule 80 not sched 40. 80 is the heavy wall. Not really needed but the peace of mind is worth it. In any case PVC is not a high dollar item.

Be absolutely sure that when he transitions from iron (copper) or whatever that he uses a Female Iron to a male PVC. Doing it the other way can cause the fitting to split on the casting line. Things you learn the hard way like I did.

Harry K

Harry K

[MC]

Pipe with the end that is bigger so no unions are needed is called bell end. I use 20ft sections with bell ends and never had a leak yet.

Trench down below the frost line, prep the ends being glued well by wiping clean, use primer before glueing. also wipe clean and prime the inside of the bell end. pressure test before covering up pipe.

I would use 1 inch PVC pipe for 200 ft.

Also if coming from street, depending on pressure, may need a regulator. If you do put at the house. When I bought my house some idiot decided to put the regulator in the meter box at the street and my house is 300ft away with 3/4 pipe (was the blue junk), no pressure. replaced with 1 inch PVC, regulator moved to the house. street pressure about 100psi and house nice 55psi. now I can flush and does not affect the shower.

I have run many thousond feet of PVC up to 2inch for irrigation under ground at my parents farm with no issues.

MC