Irrigation Backflow

I have an in-ground sprinkler system with a separate city water supply and meter for irrigation water. For anyone that doesn't know, irrigation water is a lot cheaper than house water because it doesn't go through the sewer and doesn't have to be treated. Theoretically, it is all consumed by grass and shrubs.

My problem is that I sometimes hand-water plants and flower beds but all of the spigots around the outside of my house are on the *house* water supply and meter, not the irrigation water supply. It would save me some money if I could use irrigation water. I would like to splice into the irrigation water supply - possibly through the backflow - so that I could connect a hose and use the cheaper water for those purposes.

In Florida, most everyone with an irrigation system has an upside-down u-shaped set of PVC piping that comes up and back down to the ground where the backflow prevention is located. Can I have an irrigation specialist cut into that and add a spigot? Does anyone know if the city (mine happens to be Jacksonville) would have any problem with that? Could I do it myself? I do know how to change sprinkler heads, add risers, etc, so I can be self-sufficient. Has anyone done this? Any tips?

Thanks! Carol

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Carol
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It depends on what kind of backflow preventer you have. If it's an atmospheric vacuum break, the loop should be already past the control valve. If it's a pressure vacuum break or a double checkvalve it could be before or after the control valve, but I wouldn't mess with it.

It would be better to dig up and tap into the supply line between the meter and the control valve.

-Bob

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zxcvbob

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