Replacing Water Service Pipe to 4180 SW 99th Beaverton

Preventative Maintenance, no Crisis (yet)

TODO: Replace 52 foot service pipe from meter east to the basement of a 1960 daylight ranch. Pipe is two feet down. The meter vault is 2 feet from the driveway and five feet from the street. The pipe passes under a berm, a sidewalk, and a garden to pass through a concrete wall into the basement. The pipe passes near the electrical service feed, and an old unused and disconnected phone wire. Electrical is grounded to pipe, but there may be ground rods added with recent electrical upgrade ( October 2010, PC Electric of Newberg, 538-6033 ). The gas line passes under a gravel driveway 50 feet south to the gas meter in back. The sewer line is 30 feet south.

The existing service pipe is 50+ year old galvanized iron. Very high pressure west slope water. The meter box was recently mucked out and accessable. We also want to replace additional 15 feet of fully exposed pipe basement in the basement to the pressure regulator. As seen in the pictures below, the pipe passes through two elbows and a shutoff valve, connecting at a T that feeds the pressure regulator to the house, and another shutoff feeding the hose bibs and greenhouse. Some rust spots on outside of the basement pipe. A very small amount of rust in the water, but typical shower/flush/YOW problem.

No known leaks, but that could change abruptly. We can pay by check or cash, and schedule (with three days warning) whenever it is easiest for you, before the end of the year. Directional drilling needed, pipe is under berm and heavy rocks. Washington County, unincorporated West Slope, West Slope Water District. We hope you can manage permits and inspections.

The berm was a brainfart of the previous owner, no permit and not good for drainage. Eventually, we plan to remove the berm, but haven't decided where to put the rocks and dirt yet. We will probably replace two feet of it with walkable gravel or pavers, and the rest with a flat flower bed. To be determined. You can help us move part of it if that helps you do your job. We also plan to dig a ditch streetside and fill with pea gravel, drain field pipe, and cover with pavers, providing a safer parking spot. If we need wheelchair access in the future, we may also replace the sidewalk and part of the porch with a gently sloped concrete ramp.

The ground and the service pipe are approximately level near the driveway.


Click pictures for larger view.

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A pipe flaw cleaned in 2010

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Two more flaws

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Regrowth since 2010 - yikes!

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Pipe enters basement next to electrical feed

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Two feet below ground

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Ground strap from electrical

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T to shutoff and outside water

Inside to pressure regulator

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Pressure regulator

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Underground feed from power pole diagonally from left,
to left pink pipe

Feed to basement under right downpipe

water pipe is 2 feet below and right of feed into basement
There may be grounding rods here, don't remember

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sidewalk and garden, looking east

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electrical feeds diagonal under driveway, no crossover?
looking southeast

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Water meter - somewhat mucked out

Note nearby berm rock
Some rocks may need moving, about 100 pounds
Not sure where to move the berm rocks yet

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Meter to house looking east

pipe runs under berm and rocks

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Meter about 5 feet from street, looking east

WaterService (last edited 2013-11-14 05:22:39 by KeithLofstrom)