Dealing with Low City Water Volume

[MossRoad]

Duplicate

 

[kenmac]

1/2'' Copper is only 3/8'' id..
You aren't going to get much flow / volume supplying a home through a 3/8'' od line

 

[4570Man]

I think the problem is the 1/2 supply line. I would rerun it with at least 3/4 ideally 1". I would be surprised if that doesn't fix the problem.

 

[MossRoad]

1/2'' Copper is only 3/8'' id..
You aren't going to get much flow / volume supplying a home through a 3/8'' od line

I think the problem is the 1/2 supply line. I would rerun it with at least 3/4 ideally 1". I would be surprised if that doesn't fix the problem.

The OP states its 1/2" from the city before the meter. Most places you can't change that without the city's approval.

 

[kenmac]

The OP states its 1/2" from the city before the meter. Most places you can't change that without the city's approval.

That is usually correct.. And, I was assuming 1/2 copper tubing.. it could be hard copper... 3/8 copper tubing or 1/2 hard copper.....it's still to small to supply most homes..
I don't install anything smaller than 7/8 copper tubing, which is 3/4 id..

Either the city doesn't have enough water to supply the homes, or they don't know what the're doing..

 

[MossRoad]

...

Either the city doesn't have enough water to supply the homes, or they don't know what the're doing..

Say it ain't so! :laughing:

At our first house we had low flow. There was 3/4' coming in from the street to our meter in our basement. Use more than one thing, or try to run a sprinkler and do the laundry and neither was going to happen fast. We finally broke down and called the city. Pleasantly, they came out and changed the meter. They said the old meters had restrictions. New meter was all it took. No charge. :thumbsup:

 

[dadster4]

The city is required to provide a minimum gpm flow at a minimum pressure to the meter in your home. Notify them of your situation and they should send someone out to check on your problem. It could be as extreme as excavating your supply line to see if it is damaged, leaking, or undersized for current requirements. Then again it could be as simple as the service valve not being fully opened, they often shut off this valve while homes are vacant between sales. You pay taxes for them to provide this service.

 

[arpt209]

I had the same problem years ago. I was told by the city that everything from the City main to the house was mine. I had a 365' run of 3/4" copper. Problem was it "T"'d off to the neighbor. He flushed his toilet I couldn't get a drink until his tank filled. I bit the bullet & ran a new copper line. I wanted to use 4" but would have to pay a commercial rate for water. Too expensive. I ended up running 2&1/2". Biggest I could legally use for residential rate. When the City Inspector came out for final inspection before trench was backfilled he tried to tell me the line was too big. I showed him my permit, receipt for permit & a copy of the City Code showing I could use 2&1/2 inch. He went away saying he was going to look into it. Bottom line "GET IT IN WRITING'. It did fix the water pressure/volume problem. With a regular hose nozzle I stripped the old paint off the garage to repaint it. When you washed the car you had to be careful not to blow things off it that weren't supposed to come off. I had a couple of faucets blow off but just had to turn the knob off so water quit spraying on the ceiling. Bigger supply line should solve the problem in my experience.

 

[dadster4]

I had the same problem years ago. I was told by the city that everything from the City main to the house was mine. I had a 365' run of 3/4" copper. Problem was it "T"'d off to the neighbor. He flushed his toilet I couldn't get a drink until his tank filled. I bit the bullet & ran a new copper line. I wanted to use 4" but would have to pay a commercial rate for water. Too expensive. I ended up running 2&1/2". Biggest I could legally use for residential rate. When the City Inspector came out for final inspection before trench was backfilled he tried to tell me the line was too big. I showed him my permit, receipt for permit & a copy of the City Code showing I could use 2&1/2 inch. He went away saying he was going to look into it. Bottom line "GET IT IN WRITING'. It did fix the water pressure/volume problem. With a regular hose nozzle I stripped the old paint off the garage to repaint it. When you washed the car you had to be careful not to blow things off it that weren't supposed to come off. I had a couple of faucets blow off but just had to turn the knob off so water quit spraying on the ceiling. Bigger supply line should solve the problem in my experience.

Wow! Sounds like an episode of "Tim the tool man Taylor" turbocharging his plumbing system!
I think a 1" supply line handles a 4 bath home just fine

 

[bigtiller]

365' is a long ways to go for a 3/4" line, especially when it is servicing 2 households.