While working on the new DWV for the half bath (Thanks for all the tips!) I noticed a steady drip from the main supply line just where it comes through the foundation. There is some obvious corrosion there. The cheap part of me wants to ignore it since it's before the water meter but the practical side of me says I should fix this before it ruptures and I have 3' of water in the basement. unfortunately I'm envisioning a back hoe and a 4 digit repair bill to run a new main supply into the house.

Any chance this is the city's problem?

Flying Blue Eagle

SC-tbfd - You said that it was leaking befor the meter, I think you are talking about the main water line . The utility co. ,water dept. is responsable for ( UP ) to the meter on there side of the meter. I would contact the water dept. and have them to take a look see and get it repaired ,asap Good luck & GOD BLESS ::: F.B.E.

speedball1

FBE's correct. If it's ahead of the meter it's on them. If it's on your side it's on you. Good luck, Tom

massplumber2008

Hi everyone:

Hey SC...you need to call your local water department and ask them this question.

As these guys suggested..in their area, city/town responsible for anything behind the water meter.

However, in my area, homeowner is responsible for piping from the street.

So, seems to be town/city dependent answer. Let us know what you find...Mark

.

SC-tbfd

Well, from what I can gather in my city the homeowner is responsible up to the curb shutoff (I haven't actually called the city yet since in this area it's highly likely that they could force me to address the leak by turning off the water...maybe extreme but it's what I've heard) I have a plumber coming by in the morning to take a look.

The main line is 3/4" galvanized up to the meter. the leak is at the point an electrical ground wire is clamped to the main, about 1.5" from the stone foundation. I don't believe that a repair is possible on the pipe that is currently showing. I'm hoping that there is a way to chip out the foundation around the pipe to get past the corrosion and make a repair there.

What types of suggestions should I be expecting the plumber to make? Is it possible to re-tap threads in galvanized with limited access? some type of compression fitting?

If only they made sharkbites for 3/4 galvanized...

Thanks for any help

KeepItSimpleStupid

They do make repair couplings for galvanized, see page 7:

Legend Valve

Is there a dialectric coupling between the galvanized and the meter?

SC-tbfd

That's good to know at least, there might be hope yet. let's just hope code allows it here.

dielectric coupling? Would that be to prevent corrosion between dissimilar metals? sort of a coupling with an insulator in it?

I don't think there is one, but the corrosion isn't at the meter connection, it's under the electrical grounding clamp, would it still make a difference?

KeepItSimpleStupid

Dialectric coupling - your reasoning is correct.

For corrosion to occur you need two dissimilar metals in contact with one another and an electrolyte (water or moisture).

It's probably in your best interest to re-locate the ground clamp to it's own ground rod.
The copper to galvanized will corrode over time when moisture is present.

You corrosion going on from the inside of the pipe and the outside of the pipe. The one inside is probably occuring at a faster rate. There probably is some ground currents making corrosion worse on the clamp.

Recommendations:

1) Route ground clamp to it's own ground rod
(This needs to be done professionaly otherwise the electronics equipment in your house can get severely damaged. i.e. don't just lift the clamp)
2) install dialectric coupling
3) Ground rest of plumbing system to main panel
4) Repair or replace galvanized pipe to curb stop.

iamgrowler

This sounds like a combination of electrolysis from the grounding wire and corrosion from the lime in the concrete.

If it were me, I'd dig it up and replace it -- Galvanized pipe is seam welded, and corrosion at the seam weld has a tendency to travel along the seam, sometimes for the full length of the pipe.

speedball1

SC-tbfd, Your original question was, "where does 'my' plumbing start?"
The question should have read, " Where does my responsibility began?" and I may have given you the wrong information. I gave you Florida law where all the water meters are curb side. Back in Wisconsin, where the water meters are in the basement I recall the homeowner's responsibility begins at the property lot line. My apologizes for any problem my answer may have caused. Tom