Installing A Water Main
You Are Here: Home » About-plumbing » Installing A Water Main

Installing A Water Main

A water main is the pipe that is usually copper or high pressure pvc that feeds your home, office, or building with water from the main trunk line that is in the street. The water main can be run from a few feet to thousands of feet to supply you with the water that you need.

Where Does The Water Main Hook Up On Each Side?

There are two sides of the water main, on side is connected to the truck line that runs though the streets and the other end connects to the water meeter that is inside the home or building.

How Water Mains are Installed?

Water mains are installed using machines and have to be a certain depth deep to prevent freezing in the winter, and depending on the state or the country that you live in this will decide how deep the water main has to be. The licensed plumber you hire to do the job will know the coded for your town or area.

What Type Of Pipe Does A Water Main Use?

Water mains can be plumbed with two types of pipe. Depending on the plumbing code will determin the type of pipe that you are allowed to use.

The first type of pipe water main are pipe or plumbed with are copper tubing, but this is not regular copper tubing, The copper tubing used for water lines has to be a special grade and thickness to qualify to be used under the ground. The type of copper that is allowed to be used is called "k copper". K copper is a thicker then normal copper and it comes in huge rolls.

The second type off pipe that can be used to plumb in your water main line is pvc, but once again this is not the normal DWV PVC. The PVC that is used is a special thickness and has to be able to hold a high pressure in the pipe without bursting. This type of pvc is called schedule 40 / 80 pipe.