OT plumbing/construction question?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there folks,

I've been getting a few notices from the local water utility regarding some friggin' insurance to cover the cost of replacing the water supply line from the MAIN in the street to the HOUSE!?!? They say that that line is not covered under the city's responsibility, that the homeowner is responsible, and that it could be a $4k+ bill if it breaks and has to be repaired!

Our house was built recently, 1996, the whole housing project for that matter. I've seen, think i remember that they used PVC or some plastic type of pipe to run to the house, not the old IRON type!

Now, I know that PVC doesn't RUST and I don't think it corrodes, not sure of the lifespan, but would think it would be decades or more!? So....this sounds like either a scam to tack a few more bucks onto the utility bill IF I opted for the pipe repair "insurance"? We don't have quakes or other things that would cause the ground to shift leading to a rupture in the pipe in the ground!?

T.C.

[Elevener]

Catch 22. Would you like the extended warranty on that TV?

If something happens you will wish you had it, if it doesnt its a waste of money, Sounds like insurance doesnt it?

[PsRumors]

How much is the "insurance"?

Main lines to the house can be expensive to replace if it runs under the drive or sidewalk. It can get even more expensive if they have to go into the slab. Does the insurance cover those instances?

If you don't have any tree roots to worry about, something like a weeping willow, and the builder used a decent pipe you should be ok.

Now if you have polybutylene in the ground, that stuff can be problematic. There was a class action suit for this type of pipe and doesn't last that long if not installed exactly correct.

[WMarshy]

I recall something like this in the Syracuse area... I think.it had more to do with the rain gutters going into the septic system and every home owner had to pay to redirect the gutter water elsewhere. It entailed the replacing the check valve between the house and the main line... Like I said, kinda different issue but the home owners had to foot the bill to fix the problem... I suggest contacting your town hall to.make sure its not a scams... tjhey might even have a prefered contractor who is less? Otherwise I say dig it up and do it your self! Not thelat hard to put in new line...

[bikerphil]

That sounds like a bunch of c#@p to me, maybe ask your neighbors what they are doing.

[prometheus578]

I'm on a private water company but the same still applies: Iron main at road, PVC to house.
Sure, I may throw my back out, but if I can't dig a two foot trench to find and repair a broken piece of PVC pipe, there's something wrong somewhere.
The benefit would be that I saved by not having to pay insurance... saved by not paying someone $4,000... and if I do throw my back out, it gives me a good excuse to hit the narcotic pain pills again.
Man... it's a win/win fer me!

[skipt]

water line

Got the same notice twice here in Bakersfield, Ca. Into the round file
they went.

[motoman]

water line.

What a crock..........funny thing is, as long as its fine it's the city's line to the house.......when something goes aray its yours...... Since its on your property, your homeowners insurance should cover any repairs including sod, etc. Might wanna check with your homowners insurance and identify EXACTLY what it all will cover. The piping that's used DOES meet code and IS the required piping used. Would'nt concern myself too much.......jump on that scoot and chill......all is good.....As for Prom, your lucky, here required depth of water and sewer IS 4ft......not much fun when ground is saturated with water.........a real bog hole it will be cause you'll never know about any break till you notice over a period the ground has settled in that area......by then, too late.........get your hip waders on and comence, but of course here it's better called a backhoe, and what a mess......pleasures of being a land baron.

[Guy_b_g]

My step dad just sold a house in Portland Oregon...very old sewer line, and it was cast iron.

Had to be inspected for the sale, and was found to have cracks in it.

It ran under the sidewalk also, and cost him $4,500 for the replacement with new PVC pipe (they actually ran it inside the old pipe), and that was after going through Angie's list and several quotes.

I'd say if it's old, talk to an inspector, it's not very hard or terribly expensive to do the inspection.

Then you'll have a better idea if that insurance is a good idea or not.

Since it's only 14 years old though, unless you have a tree close to it, I wouldn't worry about it.

[rpgoerlich]

My water meter is at the street. When my house was built in '83 they used a Polybutylene water line from the meter to the house. This type of line had problems degrading with chlorinated water. There was a class action suite filed back in the 80's which I believe has been settled in May 2009 and closed(in Texas anyway). When I moved into the house in '93 I found the line and called a 1-800 line to get in on the suit. They promptly came out, dug up the line and replaced it.

Here, anything after the meter is the homeowners responsibility. From the meter to the street was the City's or in my case the Municipal Utility Districts. They have had leaks and had to dig up the main line and repair it. Along with that they have replaced my driveway as the wash out it caused, had my driveway cracking and caving in.

[XSive Okie]

When I moved into my house, water supply came off the PO's other building. We did a lot split, so I had to have the city install a new meter to the tune of $300, and I ran pvc all the way to the house, and I don't feel the need to buy insurance for it.

[natemoen]

I agree that it is USUALLY the utility companies responsibility from the meter out and the owners responsibility from the meter in. But everyone is looking for a buck!

[DGXSER]

Hey TC,

As a plumbing and HVAC engineer, I have installed (or specified the work and saw it completed) thousands of yards of pipe. Most of it poly pipe for underground. The issue with the PB pipe was the handling of it. Alot of places stored the pipe outside and it is not very tolerant of UV. So the pipe would become brittle from the UV exposure. There were several lawsuits about it, and Texas was the worst problem. Once the stuff is burried, it will outlast most houses, certainly some of the cheaper built ones by the "mass production" builders.

The ownership of the pipe is correct, or typically is. The homeowner is almost always repsonsible for the water line form the meter back to the house. Works the same way for commercial and industrial. The meter is the "shutoff" point to service the system. Now the interesting one is Gas service, although the meter is right up at the building, the owner is still responsible for the line from the street in to the building. If you run your electric underground, you also have to run all the raceway from the street to your building.

As to the insurance, well, if it were cheap enough and you were the worrying type, it might be worth the peice of mind. But nothing you have explained would suggest you have an above average risk factor for failure in your system. And my mother's house is well over 60 years old, the water line was ran about 50 years ago. And to date, it has never had any problems. Then again, Mr' Murphey does have his ways, don't he.

[natemoen]

So are you saying even if the meters are in or on the house the property owner is still responsible for the lines from the meter to the property line?

[DGXSER]

Well Nate, of course, it is jurisdictional. So I certainly can't say for sure in Iowa, or Maryland or other places I have not worked. But every place I have ever done a commercial or industrial project, yes, the owner is responsible to run the gas, water, sanitary and power conduits from the road to the building, no matter where the meter is placed.

Any residential work I have seen, has been the same, for underground electric anyway.