Soaker hose

Oops. That isn't right. Sydney Water does encourage them and puts backflow preventers in their meters, home garden systems don't have them though.

Why backflow devices are a good idea:

"Bob F" wrote:

Without saying where you live your statement is totally meaningless... and it's hose *bibs*... "bibbs" are a type of lettuce.

Again, without saying where you live and stipulating the type of water supply your statement is totally meaningless. In the US municipal water companies have a check valve at each meter, so their system is protected. But in the US many people have a private well (I do, I actually have two) but local zoning code requires a check valve at the point of entry to a residence, typically before the pressure tank (to protect the well). The reason for an anti-siphon check valve on an automatic irrigation system is to protect the residential water supply because typically such a system is attached directly to the water main entering the residence (directly after the meter), so as to draw from the largest diameter pipe for maximum volume and pressure. A hose bib is already protected the same as the spigot at your kitchen sink. The only time a check valve may be necessary at a hose bib is if the irrigation system attached to the hose bib is below ground, ie. buried soaker hose, or directly on the ground, but unnecessary when using a garden hose in the usual manner. Heating systems in the US with hot water boilers are required by code to have a check valve at the boiler's supply, because typically the system contains anti freeze. Whether a check valve is required depends on usage, for example an aquarium aeration compressor needs a check valve to protect the pump, same as folks who have a swimming pool, and many other usages... but a hose bib no more needs a check valve than your kitchen sink spigot. Most folks who use soaker hoses do attach a check valve between the bib and the soaker hose... most attach a timer, many timers do contain a check valve, some will add fertilizer, some contain a pressure regulator... a pressure regulator is a good idea for protecting the integrity of the soaker hose... a sediment filter is recommended as well to prevent the soaker hose pores from clogging over time... the biggest detriment to saoker hoses is hard water, if one has hard water I don't recommend soaker hoses.