Municipal Water Boost System

[johnj]

My home has water supplied from the city.  The house is on a hill about 80 feet above the city meter.  PSI at the cutoff going into the house ranges from 6 to 20.  I've put up with this low pressure for 18 months now, and I'm getting really tired of it.

I'm looking for a solution to boost the city pressure and make it consistent.  In addition to the 80' elevation change, the water travels through approximately 600 feet of pvc.  It leaves the meter in 1.25" pvc and reduces to 3/4" before reaching the house.  I don't know exactly where the reduction happens, but I've been told it is really near the house.  With company, peak demand for water would be less than 20 GPM.

Given the low pressure and 3/4" line, will a CSV system and booster pump solve the issue?  If not, can you suggest a possible resolution?

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Cary Austin]

If you are putting the booster system in the house, I am not sure you will be able to draw 20 GPM through that 3/4" pipe.  If it is a really short piece, maybe. 

You will need about a 1.5HP jet pump to produce 20 GPM.  With that jet pump a Pside-Kick kit with a CSV1A Cycle Stop Valve will be all you need to control the pump and get strong constant pressure for the house.

[johnj]

WOW!  Thank you for the quick reply.  I do plan on installing the system inside.  I think the pipe reduction happens just before the shutoff valve; if so the 3/4" run would be about 22 feet.  Any concerns?  Or should I consider trying to get the 1.25" pvc into the basement?  (doesn't look to be an easy task)

Thank you again for your advise.


ALSO...maybe I'm over estimating the GPM demand.  Just adults in the house.  So a shower, toilet, washer, and possibly a garden hose in use simultaneously. 

[Cary Austin]

When your booster pump is being controlled by a CSV, the amount the pump produces will be matched to the amount you are using.  I doubt you will ever use more than 10 GPM, and the 3/4 pipe will be fine.  But you can test it when you get the booster pump working and determine the maximum flow you can use before the 3/4 suction line becomes too much of a restriction.  If the pump starts sounding like it is pumping gravel when you get up to say 15 GPM, then you will know 15 GPM is the limit you can use until you replace the 3/4 line.

Long story short, it should work fine.

[johnj]

Cary,

Thank you for your help, advice, and expertise.  Every other month or so the city shuta the water off, to clear the lines.  What sort of protection can I install to protect the pump during the outage?

Also, assuming I have an appropriately sized supply line, what happens if demand exceeds supply?  Meaning, I have a 15 GPM pump and my devices request 20.  Does the pressure simply drop due to the restricted flow?

Thanks again.

JohnJ

[Cary Austin]

Yes if demand exceeds the supply the pressure will just be low.  It won't hurt anything.

If the supply is shut off, you can use one of our Cycle Sensors to shut down the booster pump.  When the booster pump sucks air instead of water the amp draw will be lower than normal and the Cycle Sensor will see the low amps, shut the pump off, and display the word DRY.

I would set the restart delay to 000 so it is a manual reset.  You don't want it starting up by itself.  You need to make sure there is water in the supply line before you hit the reset button.

Here is a link and a picture of the Cycle Sensor.
http://www.cyclestopvalves.com/prod_sensor.html

[johnj]

Cary,

That's exactly what I needed.  Would a check valve help?  Since I'm up hill from the meter, often my side of the supply line drains when the city shuts off the water.  How will the system deal with the air in the line?  Or should I just install a check valve at the meter?

JohnJ

[Cary Austin]

I would install an air vent and a check valve in that order just prior to the booster pump.