Well Question

Well, sorta'...would have to look at specifics more to fully evaluate, but the manifold volume really doesn't help -- the total maximum flow is restricted to what the pump can put through that single small connection. After that, you "cain't put no more 'taters in a 5-lb tote" as Dolly once said (in regards to something other than water, but you probably get my drift... :) ).

Bigger pipes lessen the pressure loss in the pipe, no matter what size of pipe the source is. If the pipes are big enough, their length makes less difference to the pressure and volume available at the end. There is just less pressure drop.

Having both pipes available to both houses just lessens the opportunities for line pressure drop to make a difference between what pressure is available in any house.

Fire Sprinklers are probably the defining parameter here, and the codes concerning this will probably assure that other problem won't occur. Just make sure the sprinkler demands are met.

Bob

So you can't even grow vegetables?

There must be some kind of reservoir to maintain pipe pressure until water demand occurs. Or does the pump run continously if a faucet is dripping slightly.

That should almost never be necessary. This is of course dependent on the "booster pump" at the source being strong enough. You could put a booster pump at your end with a pressure switch to turn on only when the supply pressure gets too low. The storage tank at your end (storage? not pressure, right?) will mean you have to supply all the electricity to pressurize your water - another expense.

You could increase the pipe size from the road to the houses, cutting losses through the pipes, effectively making them "appear" shorter to the pump, increasing the capacity of the system.

The fire sprinklers are probably the determining factor.

Bob

If they can find the trench underneath the road, all you do is keep hitting a metal pipe until it goes all the way thru. Irrigation companies go under driveways all the time doing it that way.

About 20 years ago my father ran a 2 inch water line from city water about 1.5 miles to their subdivision. Their house and 5 others are served by it. Water pressure and flow can be a little slow at peak times, however they have never had a problem. A 2 inch line carries a lot of water. I would be more concerned with the 1.5 inch line and pressure pump.

2) As another poster said, in any case a 2" pipe can carry a heck of a lot of water.

How do the Owners know this? A 2" water supply line is pretty big if not being used for fire hydrants or irrigation. I have seen camp colonies that ran far more than only three houses off 2" water lines.

If everyone wants to stick to their guns, if there were documents (plans, specs) that said there were supposed to be three separate lines and a fixed price to do it, then tough s*it on the contractor, they can cut the road lay the lines then patch the road.

But if you are all paying time & materials anyway, then try it as-is and see. I don't see that it is so obvious that a 2" line can't do it. What does an actual engineer's analysis say?

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