# Unregulated hose bib as water source



## upslash (7 mo ago)

I am in the process of planning a lawn irrigation system for my home, and I'm trying to sort out options for my water supply.

My main water line comes into my house as (what appears to be) 3/4 copper. Don't know what the exterior main pipe looks like. Before the pressure regulator inside, there is a T that splits into smaller 1/2 copper that feeds an unregulated bib outside my house. This bib produces 100PSI and just over 10GPM. Is there a scenario where this could be my irrigation water source? I would still install a backflow preventer and the works, I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth using this existing unregulated line or digging down to my main line outside the home and going for the standard install.

I have read irrigation tutorials site and it says "Hose Bibs as a Water Supply Source = BAD!", however I know for certain this bib comes into my house and then right back out from the main water line.

Thoughts? Thanks!


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## Murf300 (Aug 31, 2020)

Just a guess on my part but 1/2 would probably not be good, even with the pressure and gpm.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

If you are running an irrigation system, you want to get as big of a supply line as possible and that you can afford. I think the 3/4" you have at the meter is the minimal amount. I don't think the 1/2" is going to be large enough to run a lot of sprinkler heads at once so you would have to have more zones.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

You should do the standard install. 1/2 pipe should be limited to 6gpm per the same page in the irrigation tutorials.

https://www.irrigationtutorials.com/gpm-psi-municipal-water-source/


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## upslash (7 mo ago)

Thanks for the replies. I've decided I will just tap into the main water line from the street and do a standard install. Seems like the correct approach.


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