Thread: PVC water supply line

I'm having another brain dump - -

PVC is okay to use in for cold water supply at the exterior, correct? Albeint the line needs insulating, properly secured.

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What is the PVC suppling? Is it lawn sprinkler system? If so there needs to be a backflow preventer installed .

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

It appears that someone has used this hose bib to supply both another hose bib and something else - perhaps a pool fill. There is no issue with that as long as the PVC is not servicing a potable water fixture. There appears to be an anti-sipon collar on the main hose bib, which should suffice for backflow prevention.

Nope it vacuum breakers are not to be under any pressure for long periods of time. That type of vacuum breaker is called a Hose Vacuum Breaker (HVB) and is for only connecting hoses to it. Now once you connect it to a pool filler, lawn sprinkler or even a remote irrigation point say he wanted to have a hose bib at the garden. You changed the needs of proper backflow prevention. Some areas still allow PVB (Pressure Vacuum Breakers) which are testable and need to be tested and certified yearly. Others require a RPZ valve to be put in place, again needing to be tested yearly.

Do you inspectors check to see if a backflow device like a PVB, DCA, or a RPZ has the testing and certification paper work mounted on or near the device? If the device is outdoors then the paperwork should be hanging on or near the shutoff valve inside leading to that device. The paperwork should have the testers information (name CCDI License, test gauge make model and serial number, and the certification date of the test gauge), the property owners name, the location of the device, and what its protecting, the device make model and serial number, the date it was tested and the test results with a clearly marked pass or fail.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

Code quote, please.

Bold and underline added by myself.

TITLE 77: PUBLIC HEALTH
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
SUBCHAPTER r: WATER AND SEWAGE
PART 890 ILLINOIS PLUMBING CODE
SECTION 890.1130 PROTECTION OF POTABLE WATER

Section 890.1130 Protection of Potable Water

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g) Installation of Devices or Assemblies.

1) Devices of All Types. Backflow preventer assemblies and devices shall be installed to be accessible for observation, maintenance and replacement services. Backflow preventer devices or assemblies shall not be installed where they would be subject to freezing conditions, except as allowed in Section 890.1140(d).

2) All in-line backflow/back siphonage preventer assemblies shall have a full port type valve with a resilient seated shut-off valve on each side of the preventer. Relocation of the valve is not permitted.

3) A protective strainer shall be located upstream of the first check valve on all backflow/back siphonage preventers unless the device contains a built-in strainer. Fire safety systems are exempt from the strainer requirement.

4) Atmospheric Vacuum Breakers. Vacuum breakers shall be installed with the critical level above the flood level rim of the fixture they serve, and on the discharge side of the last control valve of the fixture. No shut-off valve or faucet shall be installed beyond the vacuum breaker.

Atmospheric Vacuum Breakers which is also what a Hose Vacuum Breaker is are not designed to hold back any pressure. The way they work is there is a check valve that is normally closed on the supply side opening up the connection of the hose to the atmosphere When the water is on the check valve opens and seals the opening to the atmosphere. When the supply pressure is turned off or drops the check valve returns to the closed position opening the hose side to the atmosphere spilling any bad water to the ground.

What happens when one of these has a shut off valve installed after the AVB is it will not allow the device to work like it supposed to. If it under pressure for long periods of time the check valve can get stuck and not return to the normally closed position. So while under pressure on the hose side contaminated water can seep by the check valve into the supply side.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

RH:

Thanks for the explanation and the Illinois code. I was referring to the IRC though. Illinois codes don't raise eyebrows down here in hotter-than-hell Texas.

Well the part of the Illinois code is due to how the valve operates. That is why the invented a PVB (pressure vacuum breaker). These are designed to operate under pressure on the outlet side of the device. Illinois has not allowed PVB for some time though hence in my first post stating that some areas allow PVB devices where others want an RPZ on an install like that.

As for the IRC I do not have any access to the IRC code.

Ok I did a Internet search for Texas Plumbing codes. Found a PDF I was able to download. Here is the code that will tell you there is to be no shut off valve downstream from an atmospheric vacuum breaker.

608.16.5 Connections to lawn irrigation systems. The
potable water supply to lawn irrigation systems shall be
protected against backflow by an atmospheric-type vacuum
breaker, a pressure-type vacuum breaker or a reduced
pressure principle backflow preventer. A valve shall not be
installed downstream from an atmospheric vacuum
breaker. Where chemicals are introduced into the system,
the potable water supply shall be protected against
backflow by a reduced pressure principle backflow

preventer.