To Replace Or Not Replace?

[Bob B9]

Five years ago a company connected my irrigation system to the potable water line to my house. This water source is only used maybe twice a year when my secondary irrigation water is not available. The connection consisted of a T on my main line, a 3/4" x 10" black iron pipe, connected to a 1" brass stop and waste valve, connected to a 1" iron elbow, which connects to the irrigation system (almost entirely PVC). Recently when I was irrigating with the potable source, water started coming up above ground and flooding my front yard. I shut off the stop and waste, the dug down 4 feet to find the problem. The elbow coming out of the stop and waste had a hole in it. There was a flat spot on the elbow as if it had been flattened on a grinder. The center of the flat spot was very thin. It had rusted through in that spot from the outside. The entire outside of the elbow is very rusty. The inside looks OK. I am going to replace the elbow with a PVC elbow. I'm wondering if I should replace the 10" piece of 3/4" pipe that connects the stop and waste to the potable water line. The pipe looks ok on the outside, no rust. I had to dig a huge hole to access these pipes. I don't want to dig this hole again. I don't have a way to shut off the water at the street, so I would have to hire a plumber to replace that short black iron pipe. Is it worth replacing that pipe with a 1" copper pipe, or should I just leave well enough alone?

 

[Geofd]

Five years ago a company connected my irrigation system to the potable water line to my house. This water source is only used maybe twice a year when my secondary irrigation water is not available. The connection consisted of a T on my main line, a 3/4" x 10" black iron pipe, connected to a 1" brass stop and waste valve, connected to a 1" iron elbow, which connects to the irrigation system (almost entirely PVC). Recently when I was irrigating with the potable source, water started coming up above ground and flooding my front yard. I shut off the stop and waste, the dug down 4 feet to find the problem. The elbow coming out of the stop and waste had a hole in it. There was a flat spot on the elbow as if it had been flattened on a grinder. The center of the flat spot was very thin. It had rusted through in that spot from the outside. The entire outside of the elbow is very rusty. The inside looks OK. I am going to replace the elbow with a PVC elbow. I'm wondering if I should replace the 10" piece of 3/4" pipe that connects the stop and waste to the potable water line. The pipe looks ok on the outside, no rust. I had to dig a huge hole to access these pipes. I don't want to dig this hole again. I don't have a way to shut off the water at the street, so I would have to hire a plumber to replace that short black iron pipe. Is it worth replacing that pipe with a 1" copper pipe, or should I just leave well enough alone?

Get rid of ALL of the black pipe and fittings, you cannot use that with potable water should be copper,there also should be a back. flow device,so the irrigation, and your potable water can’t be cross connected if the copper is buried in my state it has to be type k and any fitting has to be brazed

 

[Bob B9]

There is a backflow preventer and a swing valve so there is no possiblility of feeding secondary water back into the culinary system. It all has to be inspected and certified annually to ensure that it's working.

 

[Geofd]

There is a backflow preventer and a swing valve so there is no possiblility of feeding secondary water back into the culinary system. It all has to be inspected and certified annually to ensure that it's working.

Is it a “ TESTABLE DEVICE”?????????
Sounds like you have. It tested that’s good

 

[Bob B9]

There is a backflow preventer and a swing valve so there is no possiblility of feeding secondary water back into the culinary system. It all has to be inspected and certified annually to ensure that it's working.

Is it a “ TESTABLE DEVICE”?????????
Sounds like you have. It tested that’s good

The city's water department thinks it's testable. I have to pay over $100 every year to have a contractor test it and certify that it's working.

 

[Geofd]

The city's water department thinks it's testable. I have to pay over $100 every year to have a contractor test it and certify that it's working.

Next time they test it, you should watch the kit looks like a refrigeration gauge so it’s a large gauge with three hoses and if the device is below the highest head you use one type of device, if it’s 12” or more above the highest head you can use another , backflow devices and the protection and the protection of the public water supply is a big deal if it’s the wrong one you could contaminate your/ public water supply and not even know it

 

[SHEPLMBR]

Water should NEVER be going through black iron pipe. I cannot believe anyone would allow that. It will rust and contaminate.