ᐅ Distance between fire hydrant and water meter: transfer chamber required

Hello

When I inquired with our local authority, they said that if the distance from the hydrant to the house/water meter is between 10 to 15 meters (33 to 49 feet), the water meter must be installed in a handover chamber, with all the following implications:

The chamber must be frost-proof.
Reading the meter becomes more difficult.
Additional work is required.

They also argue that there is a risk of pipe breakage and that the community should not bear the risk of a longer supply line, and so on.
Is there any legal basis or drinking water regulation that really makes this necessary, or is it just bureaucracy?

For large plots with 50 or 100 meters (164 or 328 feet) of supply line, I can understand this, but for just 25 meters (82 feet) at a normal house, I find it excessive.

What are your thoughts?

Regards and thanks
Ralf

What kind of answers are you expecting here? You have already asked the right questions: "Is there a legal basis for this or a drinking water regulation?"

The municipality should provide you with answers to exactly these questions – after all, statements like that are made there based on such regulations.

A handover shaft after a certain connection length is completely common. Most are usually between 15–20m (50–65 feet). You have to set a limit somewhere, and everyone is free to plan their house to minimize cable lengths. 😉

Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter what we think about it. If the utility company says it has to be done a certain way, then it has to be done that way. You don’t have a choice.
We have 35 m (115 feet) without a transfer chamber. We were able to choose that. But what good does it do you that our utility company did it that way?

Ralf1980 schrieb:

(...)
The argument is also made about the risk of pipe breakage, that the community should not bear the risk of longer piping, and so on.
Is there any legal basis or a drinking water regulation that really requires this, or is it just harassment?
(...)

Yes, there is a legal basis for this, so it is not harassment, especially since you were able to review all the regulations beforehand.

Why different municipal utilities handle this so differently is actually quite easy to explain:
Most likely, there was already a pipe break in your area during winter because the builder wanted to do without a handover pit but then did not keep it frost-free as agreed, or something along those lines. That’s how it is.

I have clients where you must wear safety glasses before entering the test chamber because 15 years ago someone poked themselves in the eye with a screwdriver. At others, triangular scrapers are prohibited because someone accidentally stabbed themselves in the stomach with one. That’s just the way it is.