You will learn about all the rules for connecting to the central water supply. The most important thing is to get permission from the local organization that deals with water supply issues. Almost all the streets of modern cities and towns have water pipes. But in order to bring water into a new house (or again into an old one), you need to make the right connection.
Not everyone can do this, so if you doubt your abilities, contact the experts. It is also worth noting the fact that connecting to an external water supply network is the most reliable way to get water in the house. Drilling your own well is not always possible. From our article, you will learn how to get work permits, and most importantly, what tools can be used when tie-in.
How do I get a clearance?
The water main is an important facility, so if you do something wrong, you can leave the whole street without water. Beforeto start work on connecting a private house to the central water supply, you need to get permission. All you have to do is contact your local water utility. In this case, you do not need to indicate which connection option you plan to use - with or without welding. But if in doubt, it doesn’t hurt to ask experienced locksmiths for advice.
If you made an unauthorized connection (without the permission of the water utility), then this is illegal. Sooner or later you will be punished with a hefty fine.
A copy of the site plan must be obtained from the Federal Center, which registers households. As for the technical conditions for connecting to the water supply system, they are formulated directly by the water utility. Be sure to include the following data in the technical conditions:
- Place where the cut-in is made.
- Dimensions of the pipe that made the main water supply.
- All other data required for tie-in.
This document can be made in any design organization, even private ones. But be sure to approve it at the local branch of the water utility. Without this, it will not be possible to legalize the tie-in.
Register tie-in
The document that is issued for the permission of the tie-in must be registered at the sanitary and epidemiological station. In addition, you need to write a statement that you need to connect the house to the central water supply. When taking into account all the restrictions, it becomes clear that saving on documentation is unlikely to succeed. A littleless money can be spent only on earthworks. Otherwise, you will have to hire specialists who have the appropriate work permits.
It is worth highlighting a few cases when tapping under pressure is prohibited (without turning off the water):
- If the main pipe is too large in diameter.
- If there is no connection to the central sewerage system.
- In the event that a private house does not have a water meter.
In other cases, you have the right to tie into a pipe in which water is under pressure.
How to make tapping under pressure?
In order to connect the pumping station to the central water supply, you need to stop the water supply on a significant section of the main. And more specifically, then perform the following manipulations:
- Completely get rid of the pressure in the line, drain all the water that is in it.
- Make a hole in the side wall of the pipe. This can be done with any available tool.
- Put a branch pipe for a drain, be sure to make a valve or a tap on it.
- Mount the connection unit from the valve to the water supply at home.
- Check the tightness of all connections.
- Fill the line with water. In this case, it is necessary to dump all air plugs. Only after that the pressure in the system rises to the minimum required value.
This type of connection consumes a huge amount of energy andtime, so in practice it is used very rarely.
Practical connection method
To date, a less expensive way to connect to the water of the central water supply has been developed. Moreover, all work can be done without depressurizing the line. The water is under pressure. Before starting the tie-in on the pipe, you need to put a saddle clamp of a special design (popularly called a "saddle"). This is a conventional split coupling, which must be tightened with screws. A rubber gasket is used to seal the joint.
A piece of pipe or a flange is placed on the coupling half. This is necessary to insert the drill. Please note that a rubber seal must be made if work is being done on a plastic pipe. To drill a hole in a pipe made of steel or cast iron, it is necessary to use a saddle made of plastic material, which is applied to the inner surface of the coupling.
You can often find on sale the so-called universal saddles made from strips of metal. They are somewhat similar to conventional tie-down collars that are used in automobiles and irrigation systems. But to crash into a plastic pipe, you need to use a tool with heating elements. This will avoid cutting.
Installing the saddle
The only way to fasten this input element is to tighten it with screws. Please note that all screws must be tightened in turn so that there is no distortion. The halves of the coupling must converge as evenly as possible. As for steel pipes, they need to be prepared as carefully as possible. The entire surface should be treated with sandpaper and a wire brush.
When drilling in a cast iron pipe under pressure, it is recommended to avoid axial forces so that the wall does not break. Keep in mind that cast iron is a very brittle material.
The easiest way to tie-in
And now let's talk directly about what are the ways of tapping into the central highway. And first we will consider the simplest method, which boils down to the fact that a locking element is placed before the pipe wall is drilled. To do this, you can use a ball valve mounted on the saddle. Open it and put a drill through the hole.
Of course, in this case, it is impossible to avoid the release of water from the main. To protect the tool, put a piece of a plastic bottle on it. As soon as you make a hole in the main pipe, you need to quickly remove the drill and completely close the ball valve. When tapping into a steel pipe, it is enough to weld a branch to it, at the end of which a thread is cut. A crane is screwed onto it, the rest of the actions are the same as described above.
Embedding cutters
This tool has a core drill to make a hole and a safety valve. It is necessary in order to contain the pressure of water. Toolrotates by hand, but you can find professional samples that work from an electric drill. A locking device is placed at the end of the pipe, through which the tool is inserted inside. Such equipment is most often used when tapping into plastic lines. After drilling is completed, water leakage is possible, but it will be negligible. Thanks to the valve, it is possible to stop the water pressure.
Drill Clamps
Often use drilling clamps when tapping into the highway. Such a tool is sold in stores in kits that have swivel connectors and various nozzles. There are several variations in the design of products, they can be used when connected to pipes of 80 mm and above. Please note that before drilling, it is necessary to tilt the pipe as far as possible so that the drill does not slip.
Steps of tie-in implementation
You can understand that even when connected to the central water supply for two houses, you need to perform the following manipulations:
- Install the clamp, which is used to tie into the central highway.
- Install the locking device.
- Drill a hole in the pipe.
- Connect the house water pipe to the tie-in.
As for additional connections, it is not necessary to coordinate them with the water utility, all work is carried out independently.
How to determine the location of the tie-in
As a rule, in settlements there are wells for connecting tocentral plumbing. It is necessary to adhere to only one rule - the pipe going to the household or to the site must be below the freezing depth of the soil (which is about 1.2-1.5 m). If you live in a harsh climate, it is recommended to increase the depth by 50-60 cm in order to equip sand drainage and foam insulation. Immediately after the tie-in, you need to make a drain valve. And before digging a trench, make sure that there are no intersections with other systems - sewers, communication wires, gas pipelines.
Selection of materials
When connected to a central water supply, pipes of various materials can be used. This is cast iron, steel, and plastic. If you wish, you can install pipes that have protective coatings. If the choice fell on a cast-iron pipe, then consider all its properties, including negative ones. After all, this material is fragile, and pipes can break very easily. Cast iron pipes should have nodular graphite, as it is more ductile. But still, when working, you should not make significant efforts.
You should also take into account the fact that the pipe used for tapping must have a diameter smaller than that of the main one. It is recommended to use pipes from 50 mm. If a tie-in is made into a plastic line, then tools with built-in heaters must be used. This will allow you to quickly make the desired hole in the pipe. If the pressure in the line is less than 1.6 MPa, then special saddle clamps must be used, which cancreate uniform pressure on the area with which they are in contact. This will avoid deformation of the pipe.
