So, it appears I have two water meters & two water systems - that's the good news

[Complete Turf Care]

Re: So, it appears I have two water meters & two water systems - that's the good news

can you use Tennessee 811 to have them come out and mark where they are?

The utility companies will only mark up to the meter.

However, if any digging is to be done, it would be a good idea to have all lines marked before digging.

 

[EddieWalker]

Re: So, it appears I have two water meters & two water systems - that's the good news

Are you wanting to use the other water line? Since the water meter is turned off, I would just dig and deal with what I dug up. Replacing water line is pretty easy if you have open land to work with. Same thing with capping it off.

If you are wanting the additional water line, remember that the cost of that water is in addition to the basic meter cost, and if the water district ever decided to make improvements to their system, adding a surcharge to the meter is how it's commonly done. So much for each meter, and then charge based on the size of the meter.

Eddie

 

[FTG-05]

Re: So, it appears I have two water meters & two water systems - that's the good news

can you use Tennessee 811 to have them come out and mark where they are?

I'm going to look into that.

Thanks!

 

[FTG-05]

Re: So, it appears I have two water meters & two water systems - that's the good news

If you find it, or just re hook up to it; make sure your being billed as Irrigation water, because otherwise you will be paying sewer fees on barn water; unless for some reason the barn has sewer...

You may be better off simply calling the utility and ordering an irrigation meter set right next to your potable water meter. Probably no need to even re tap the main; just tee off right before the potable meter, and run to new box and yoke.

Btw, the utility should be able to tell you for sure if the meter in question is for that other lot. They have to know who to bill...

Yes, I need to confirm that the other meter is for the Upper side of my property. They will have the water meter number on file (like they do for mine) and they'll know what address it goes to (which is now defunct since the house has been gone for years - and I don't know what the old house number was, but I plan to find out).

The question will be what I will have to do to prove to them that I own the property that the meter goes to. Should be interesting.

 

[FTG-05]

Re: So, it appears I have two water meters & two water systems - that's the good news

Are you wanting to use the other water line? Since the water meter is turned off, I would just dig and deal with what I dug up. Replacing water line is pretty easy if you have open land to work with. Same thing with capping it off.

If you are wanting the additional water line, remember that the cost of that water is in addition to the basic meter cost, and if the water district ever decided to make improvements to their system, adding a surcharge to the meter is how it's commonly done. So much for each meter, and then charge based on the size of the meter.

Eddie

Yes, I would like to get access to that water via another meter. Whoever put the water system in for my house designed it for minimum cost and maximum water pressure loss. A quarter mile - 1,320 feet from my meter to the house and they used 3/4" PVC! So what I'd like to see if I can do is use that water meter and system and tie it into my existing house system and reduce water velocity, back pressure and increase pressure and flow to my house. Connecting them up near the Upper property would be fairly easy and cheap compared to running a water line another quarter mile from either meter.

The water meter has not been update like all the other water meters out here (marked with blue paint), so to make it active they would have to update the meter anyway (at no charge to me), although there may be some sort of activation charge. When they update it, I could ask if they'll upsize it, don't know if that's an option or not.

No sewer charge out here, we're in the boondocks.

Thanks,

 

[paulharvey]

Yes, I would like to get access to that water via another meter. Whoever put the water system in for my house designed it for minimum cost and maximum water pressure loss. A quarter mile - 1,320 feet from my meter to the house and they used 3/4" PVC! So what I'd like to see if I can do is use that water meter and system and tie it into my existing house system and reduce water velocity, back pressure and increase pressure and flow to my house. Connecting them up near the Upper property would be fairly easy and cheap compared to running a water line another quarter mile from either meter.

The water meter has not been update like all the other water meters out here (marked with blue paint), so to make it active they would have to update the meter anyway (at no charge to me), although there may be some sort of activation charge. When they update it, I could ask if they'll upsize it, don't know if that's an option or not.

No sewer charge out here, we're in the boondocks.

Thanks,

Can't be too far in boondocks if you have water...

I don't know that looping the meters would be good or allowed. Modern meters can't spin backwards, but there is a risk of back flow/cross connection. Is there a back flow preventer on your existing connection? If you where to use the 2nd meter, you probably would need to have a separate system. Maybe barn alone on 2nd meter.

What I'm saying, from the utility's pov is that if you have something enter the system (pesticide, dead rat in sink, ect) it could then be forced back into the public system. I know it sounds far fetched, but hose in a barrel mixing something, temporarily loose preasure; siphon back into your system; regain preasure; and force out either meter into public.

I'm not trying to be safety police; more explaining why it is unlikely they would condone it.

 

[jrepp44]

Re: So, it appears I have two water meters & two water systems - that's the good news

3/4" pipe for that distance must not be providing you with much volume or pressure. Do you know the output size of the water meter? In my location a "residential" meter was limited to 3/4". I could have upgraded to an "industrial" meter with a larger output size but the cost was too much. I ran 1-1/2" pvc for my 1,200 foot line, the volume and pressure are Ok but not great.

 

[FTG-05]

Re: So, it appears I have two water meters & two water systems - that's the good news

When I had my house built in 1994 in Madison, the water board guy then told me that all water meters were required to have backflow preventers (essentially a check valve) to prevent any backflow into the public water system from residential systsms. He made it sound like it was a national code requirement. In addition, the water board guys here told me that all the active water meters have been updated (hence the blue paint marked on each meter housing). I would *assume* that these updated meters would already include backflow preventers. But it's another thing to check when I call about the extra water meter.

I have no idea fi they will allow to two meters to be hooked up together or even have two meters for the same address (although I also had two meters at my Madison house (water & sewer charged for the house and then a water only for landscaping and the pool etc.). However, one thought I had was to bypass the other meter and just tie my water/system to the Upper system at the meter location and then reconnect them up near the pole barn, assuming the Upper system goes that far and is still usable. That would at least double the pipe size for two thirds of the one quarter mile distance.

My water system might be 1", I forgot about the 1" PVC inlet at the house where the house shutoff valve is. The other two places where I can see the water pipes both go to a water hyrdrant and both of them are 3/4".

I don't know what size the meters nor if there are upsizable meters available; something else to ask my water board. Nor do I know the size and kind of pipe at the meter outlet; another thing to check when I go find out the Upper meter number.

And yes, the water flow and pressure suck inside the house. The two (now three water hydrants) are OK, not great but OK.

 

[paulharvey]

Most water meters are actually 5/8" but they say they flow as much or more than older 3/4" ones. In the city where I used to work, there was a Large "impact" fee to up size a meter. Think it was in the neighborhood of $2,500-5000 for a 2" meter vs a 1" meter. I don't think a 1" wasnt ridiculously much more than a standard 5/8".

I can tell you that in older areas of town we had maybe 45 psi on a good day, at 10 am; and as high as 95 psi in some areas. I would say we had about 65 psi over most of the city. I wonder what kind of line pressure you have.

 

[FTG-05]

Re: So, it appears I have two water meters & two water systems - that's the good news

About 65 psi static (no water running). This was measured at the water hydrant in the front yard. I'll measure it again tomorrow at the other two water hyrdrants.

I guess the other good news is that both meters are about 12' from the main water line (6" or 8") that runs down the hill and feeds the valley below.