Putting 'city' water on a farm... lots of ???

[EddieWalker]

Is your land flat or will the water line be going up hill or down hill? This affects how much water pressure you will have more then anything else.

How expansive is your soil? Talk to the guy at the Water Department to find out what type of pipe they use and recommend. They might not even let you use other types of pipes. Here, black polly was used for a period of time and now it's failing so often that the City of Tyler has two crews out working 24/7 in winter to fix the leaks. When wet soil freezes, it expands and breaks pipes buried in the ground when they come up to the meter. I personally think black polly is the worse stuff out there. As others have said, if you use PEX, up size it at least to the next level. If your soil is expansive, then gasketed pipe is the best choice, and what I expect the Water Department uses and recommends. Gasketed pipe slides into each section and allows the pipe to move while in the ground without leaking. It's what is used in every city in my area of East Texas.

With a 1 inch meter, you will probably have to use 2 inch pipe since that's the smallest that I'm aware of. Pacific Plastics Inc. >> Potable Water SDR’s White Gasketed

 

[Dadnatron]

With those runs I’d use poly pipe and I’d run a tracer wire.

Concerning the tracer wire... If I put in Poly via the subsoiler/drop through a pipe to depth method, is there a guage/type/??? of wire you'd recommend? I understand the 'theory' of a tracer wire, but I have no experience. I am more of a 'overbuilder' so I'd go with whatever will be the least problematic for me in the future.

Also, I have a question about friction loss. I understand the concept and have found a calculator. I DON'T know the pressure, but I believe it is relatively standard. I know my water guy said I'd have to have pressure reducers going to my waterers.

The question is, the calculators all want to know GPM, not PSI. I don't really know what to plug in for GPM when I don't know the flow? I can't find a calculator which will convert PSI/length/diameter, which I would suspect would provide some formula for calculation...

 

[TnAndy]

Properly glued PVC joints will not leak and are chemically bonded to the pipe so they are really stronger than the pipe. Bury depth must be below the freeze line. PVC will not stand frozen water and will burst easily when exposed.

I hear that ! I dug up some years back, 1" with the bell coupling on the end, using a backhoe. Stuff absolutely would not come apart or break unless you kinked a section of line in the bucket.

 

[RNeumann]

Tracer wire should be 18awg or bigger according to code.

Their is no “standard” water pressure. Your utility should have a good idea what the pressure is near your place. It could be 40psi and it could be 150psi.

The friction loss calcs will obviously swing wildly with that much pressure difference. Your calcs should be based on your irrigation or other high water use items. A lot of residential sprinkler systems could run 10-15gpm. But if you are irrigating some fields it could be higher. You just don’t want to have issues down the road because you saved a few bucks on pipe (smaller pipe).

I don’t know your situation but if you want to build a house or other structure in the future a bigger line would obviously help. It could, if done correctly, be used for fire sprinklers if that’s a future need or code requirement.

A lot of the cost in a project like this is the labor to dig and place the pipe. Take the time now and you will have a lifetime of not worrying about it or any future needs.

How deep do you need to dig?

 

[Stimw]

With the sizes you are talking about I would be worried about the cost of city water.
Do you have any option to put in a well?
I have had wells for over 20 years and can't imagine how much money have saved over that time.
Also in my area you pay a sewage charge based on water usage.

 

[radios1]

With the sizes you are talking about I would be worried about the cost of city water.
Do you have any option to put in a well?
I have had wells for over 20 years and can't imagine how much money have saved over that time.
Also in my area you pay a sewage charge based on water usage.

+1. there's the catch.. the OP could save a lot of money by putting in a well!. much shorter pipe runs, and no chance of a sewer charge, and much cheaper water, the City has built in expenses for utilities charges, which you can avoid!..

 

[mike48130]

There are 2 types of the black poly. Low pressure for sprinklers and higher pressure for water lines. Anyone who has a recent well uses it, and they also hang the pump from it hundreds of feet deep. I've never seen any issues with the higher pressure pipe. I have seen PVC crack. PVC does not flex well, so it cracks and even worse in the cold. I don't think PVC is rated for potable water. Horses may not care, but you might.

I have also used the blue CTS pipe which replaces copper. It is great stuff, but the fittings kill you. You will probably find that the city will require that up to the meter then you can do what you want since if anything breaks it's on your water bill.

The size all depends on city water pressure and how much pressure and how much flow you need at the end at he workshop. I put hydrants by my shop for pressure washing and fire emergencies. If it would ever stop raining here, I am in the process of running the pipe to the barn at the new house. 1" poly for the hydrants, and 3/4" for a potable water line since I am on a well.

 

[RNeumann]

Tracer wire should be 18awg or bigger according to code.

Their is no “standard” water pressure. Your utility should have a good idea what the pressure is near your place. It could be 40psi and it could be 150psi.

The friction loss calcs will obviously swing wildly with that much pressure difference. Your calcs should be based on your irrigation or other high water use items. A lot of residential sprinkler systems could run 10-15gpm. But if you are irrigating some fields it could be higher. You just don’t want to have issues down the road because you saved a few bucks on pipe (smaller pipe).

I don’t know your situation but if you want to build a house or other structure in the future a bigger line would obviously help. It could, if done correctly, be used for fire sprinklers if that’s a future need or code requirement.

A lot of the cost in a project like this is the labor to dig and place the pipe. Take the time now and you will have a lifetime of not worrying about it or any future needs.

How deep do you need to dig?

Check out these guys if you need to use poly (HDPE). They charge actual shipping and with your needs think a few pallets worth. But they can rent you the socket fuser etc. If you are meticulous and want to do the best job possible you will skip mechanical fasteners. Lifetime pipe with non lifetime fittings is a thumbs down to me.

From a cost standpoint these guys are close to wholesale with shipping. The last one I checked one vs the other the fittings were less online and the pipe was nearly a wash. That’s my wholesale account price locally vs the online prices linked here.

Hdpe Supply: Hdpe Fittings, Electrofusion, Polyethylene Pipe, Fusion Equipment

 

[MH8675309]

Let em keep their water - drill a well and save thousands. Plus - you control your own water then

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Not much mention of back flow devices. The OP needs to find out now during the planning phase what the requirements will be. The water supply company controls that issue as well as any local jurisdictions if a permit is required. Some water companies will not activate service if there is a local governing code and enforcement. Then they look for the a signed off completed final inspection. Probably minimum will be a double check valve at entrance point which is what an irrigation system requires. Has to be protected from freezing and inspected/certified annually.

I know we all like to ignore permits but it can be expensive if you cannot get water after several K$s in a system. I knew a guy who built a whole new house with out permits. Came time to install the power meter. Utility company asks where is your signed off permit? Guess what that cost him before he was done satisfying 5 authorities having jurisdiction permits, fines, and extensive redo with peed off inspectors and building department heads.

Mention was made to drill a well instead. Another check point to make; some jurisdictions protect their utility companies by not allowing wells at all or requiring a variance for AG use.

Ron