Outdoor Icemaker Installation Question

[FriscoTX]

Hello, all...

I'm having an outdoor kitchen built around our pool. I'd like to put an under-counter icemaker in it but now I'm told there might be a problem getting a water line connection, of all things. My pool guy thinks it shouldn't be a big deal to tap into the irrigation circuit, but the grill guy says that wouldn't be a good idea due to fertilizer and chemical penetration of those lines.

I suggested going the irrigation route and installing a water filter in-line but he wasn't any more fond of that idea. He suggested a y-piece fitting for a front-yard spiggot and then running a line across my front flowerbeds...veto!

Any suggestions?

[hj]

The irrigation system is considered "non-potable" water once it leaves the backflow device. 99+% of the time there would be no problem with using it for the icemaker, however, but that one infinitessimal time it could create a problem. You would be safer running it to a source of potable water such as off a hose faucet or before the irrigation safety valve.

[Bob NH]

The 1969 Holy Cross football season was cancelled when 90 of 97 players and coaches got Hepatitis A from drinking water from a fountain that was contaminated due to backflow into the system.

http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/fall04/features/feature1.html

Be careful!

[Terry]

It's the reason you don't drink the water in some countries.

I think going through a flower bed for pure water is a much better idea, than drinking your irrigation water and taking your chances.

[Gary Swart]

You're going to a heck of a lot of expense to save carrying a bucket or two of ice when you are using your outdoor kitchen. It seems to me that the added expense of running a water line from a safe water supply would be minimal. If winter freezing is a concern, design it so that this line can be shut off and drained at the end of the summer season.

[RioHyde]

I can only hope you are not serious about tapping into your non potable irrigation piping. I, for one, wouldnt even consider accepting a beverage that contained ice made from the water in that line. Neither your pool guy nor your grill guy are plumbers, but at least the grill guy has some common sense. Call a plumber in to evaluate the situation. It wouldnt be that hard to install a waterline running underground to a point of connection to a potable supply. This line could easily be installed so as to drain every off season. Cross connection = VETO

Good luck

[FriscoTX]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll see what the plumber says.

[Cass]

If the plumber says to connect to the irrigation line he needs to have his licence pulled.

Here is a nice senario,

a dog uses your lawn as a toilet, the waste then filters down to a small unknown break and backfeeds into the irrigation line and enters via the break,
the bacteria grow like mad in the warm water,you then come along and turn on the water and get a nice long drink. Yum.

[Gary Slusser]

I think if we were to look it up, we'd find that urine is sterile... but anyway... now that the right water source pipe has been selected, the project should be handed off to the water treatment guys... An ice maker has a kinda special need for high quality water or it won't be working service free for very long. Or making high quality ice. Especially one used part of the year and in TX with their very hard water.