Removing old valves-pvc- best practice

[Nwtexan]

Hello,

I’m rebuilding our 3 house shared well system(class b). I’m going to install a small manifold with meters and new valves to each house. Currently each line has old metal valves that have been buried for a number of years. The pipe is all schedule 40 1 1/4”

Because of the rigidity of the pipe and the small trenched area, replacing with a standard coupling and pipe will be really difficult. I know the repair couplings are made for this but I have heard that they are prone to leaking.

What is best practice in this situation. This part of the pipe will be buried and will not be part of the access area.

Thanks for your info and thoughts

Best
Ian

 

[Valveman]

Hopefully the metal valves will unscrew from the sch 40 PVC and you can just screw in a new one.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Nwtexan]

Hopefully the metal valves will unscrew from the sch 40 PVC and you can just screw in a new one.

I should have clarified. Originally the three houses were teed off at about 2’ intervals with small valve boxes. The lines run about 2’ deep and they had used metal to get the extra foot. This had corroded and everything was completely filled with dirt.
My plan is to locate all 3 lines in one enclosure, switch to non metallic valves and add meters to check on water usage and leaks.

So, my hope is to cut those out and replace each one with a coupling

 

[Nwtexan]

I will be using metal valves, but again, locate them within one box. My plan is to use a 4 way cross, and contain all 4 in the one enclosure with the valves and meters. The meters are all plastic. I have been speaking to a friend who runs a neighboring water district and he suggested moving this up in depth from @24" to 12" so I can use a standard depth water box. We live in the PNW so our hard freezes are short and rare. I'm planning on back filling with gravel to try to prevent shrews from filling the box with dirt and covering the system.

 

[Valveman]

While I appreciate you wanting everything in one valve box, it will be a tight fit. It will also be hard to splice into that line without using a repair coupling that slides or a compression coupling, neither of which I like. Those metal pipes are all screwed into PVC female adapters. You could easily unscrew and replace as needed without cutting the main line. You would just need multiple valve boxes. Also, there are 6" and 12" extensions for valve boxes, so you can keep them at the depth needed.

 

[Nwtexan]

While I appreciate you wanting everything in one valve box, it will be a tight fit. It will also be hard to splice into that line without using a repair coupling that slides or a compression coupling, neither of which I like. Those metal pipes are all screwed into PVC female adapters. You could easily unscrew and replace as needed without cutting the main line. You would just need multiple valve boxes. Also, there are 6" and 12" extensions for valve boxes, so you can keep them at the depth needed.

I consulted a friend of mine who runs a local water district and does well installs. He recommended this system. It definitely got a little hairy when I got to the last couple of connections, but I got it together and it seems to work well.
The meters have unions on each side, and the valves have screw fittings, so that whole contraption can be redone without too much pain.

I do have another question:

I have the PVC for the wellhouse running about 1 1/2" off the ground, going to the pressure tanks. I know you are supposed to secure it ever 3' or so. Is it enough to run pieces of treated 2x4 underneath it?