Hello All – anyone ever tapped into their well water system to have the option to send either treated or untreated well water to the outside faucets?
Currently, the outdoor spigots run from the pressure tank straight outside. Thus the water going outside is not treated for the high iron, calcium and any bacteria I’ve got in the water.
I would like to run a connection from supply line after the water is treated (de-ironed, softened and UV’d) to the supply pipe heading to the outdoor spiggots (with a shutoff) and add a shutoff to the current outdoor supply line just before where I would tap in to pipe heading to the outside spiggots. Thus, if I close the shutoff from just after the pressure tank and open the other, I get treated water for the hottub, car washing, kiddie pool, etc. If I do the reverse, then only the untreated water goes to the outside spiggots.
Only drawback is mistakenly leaving both shutoff’s open – then I am drawing untreated water past the treatment system into the main house supply. Given that, is what I am suggesting a plumbing no-no?
Thanks, Paul.
Replies
Don't know if it's a plumbing no-no or not but I got around the problem by putting in a hot and cold sillcock of treated water. I have it hooked up to an outdoor shower. It's amazing how many times I've used the hot tap outside.
The most bizarre was in December one year when my son was little, he and a friend wanted to use the Slip 'n Slide. The ground was hard so I broke a couple of the cheesey plastic stakes that they give you to anchor the thing down. It was a hoot to see traffic slow down as the two kids in bathing suits were sliding away in a cloud of steam.
The other sillcocks are untreated water right from the well, and they just get used for lawn and garden use.
That way the two can't mix and I don't have to worry about leaving a valve open.
>> ... then I am drawing untreated water past the treatment system into the main house supply.
Check valve. Maybe two in series in case the first one fails in the open position. Probably not code compliant.
I piped a bypass line to my hose bibs so I can run with either treated or nontreated water. Rarely (if ever) has it been shifted to treated, I mean, why do I want to water the weeds with softened water? I added the bypass (4 valves for 2 bibs) years ago when DW decided the kids needed a kiddy pool. Not a lot of treated water after you fill a pool several times a week.