My PRV disappeared! Can the city manage water pressure without PRVs?

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Temp945

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Hi all,

About 5 years ago I learned that many homes have a pressure reducing valve (PRV) to control the water pressure to the home. At that time I also discovered that my home's PRV was not operating correctly and needed to be replaced. I replaced it without issue.

I am now doing some maintenance on my water heater and installing a new thermal expansion tank and am setting the tank's PSI to match the water supply's PSI.

But first, I decided to increase the water pressure to the home and went to the street to adjust my pressure reducing valve. Upon opening the water meter hatch on the front lawn, I was surprised to see that the PRV was no longer there. My guess is that the city, unbeknownst to me, did some maintenance on the water supply and removed my PRV.

Two questions:
1) Can a municipality manage water pressure to homes without the need for each individual home to have a PRV? I'm wondering if my PRV has not actually disappeared, but is now buried under the ground rather than accessible via the water meter access hatch on my front lawn.
2) Do you think it is right for the municipality to remove a valve that I paid for? They cost about $100. This seems very strange to me!
 

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Gagecalman

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I'm on city water with no PRV. Pressure is always around 75 psi for 30+ years.
Where was your PRV mounted? It would be on your side of the meter and it doesn't look like there's much room for it.
 

Temp945

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The PRV was mounted in the meter box on my side of the meter. I agree that it doesn't look like there was much room and I can't remember precisely what it looked like before. I think it may have been attached where the meter is now, and there was a different metering device previously.

I know that the city came around about a year ago to replace the wireless metering devices and I'm guessing they removed my PRV at that time.
 

Temp945

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I did need a PRV because I tested my water pressure a few years ago and it was high at around 75 - 80 PSI. I had a PRV at that time but it was old and was not operating correctly. After replacing it the water pressure was reduced to 60 PSI.

I believe that the meter you see in the middle of the photo is new because that is where I recall the PRV was before. I think the city removed the PRV to install a new and improved wireless meter which is what you see installed there now.
 

Breplum

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Up to 80 PSI is fine and within code.
We almost always put PRVs at the house. Rare and unusual to have at the meter, since servicing and access are problematic and on long runs, it is desirable to have the pressure drop after the long run.
 

Reach4

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I believe that the meter you see in the middle of the photo is new because that is where I recall the PRV was before. I think the city removed the PRV to install a new and improved wireless meter which is what you see installed there now.
Most places, I think, do not uses PRVs a the house. Hilly areas, and areas where the old water mains are not big enough to pass the needed water without higher pressures, often need to use PRVs. Most of Florida is not so hilly, so the city may have been able to get rid of the need for a PRV. Be glad that you don't have that maintenance item.

I understand your point that in the process, they should have offered you your device back.
 

Jeff H Young

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might be buryied out side the box? No the point is you dont remove a protective device that dosent belong to you they could have moved it a foot and dropped another box or told him to go buy one. maybe pressure climbs in off peak hours . he needed a regulator befor just because he checked a few times dosent mean a lot
 

Temp945

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I am planning on replacing the supply line that runs from the meter box to the home's crawlspace in the near future (original 1960s pipe I think), so I guess I will see if they moved the PRV and burried it underground at that time.
 

PlumbNuts

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The PRV would not have been installed inside of the meter box, that is a meter saddle with no way to connect anything else. If you had a PRV installed near your meter it would most likely be about 1' on your side of the meter box. Poke around and see if you can locate another valve box, if not you may have to dig a little.
Although most homes are having the PRV's installed inside the home, it is still acceptable (but not common) to bury the PRV.

For most municipalities the meter box, anything inside of it and everything before it is the property of the municipality. If you did somehow manage to install a PRV in the same box as the meter then you technically gave it to the municipality.
 
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Temp945

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To be clear, I did not install the original PRV. I discovered it when I looked inside the meter box. The reason I went poking around is because I suspected my water pressure was a bit high, and testing it confirmed my suspicion. Google led me to search for a PRV, and I found one inside the meter box. I tried adjusting the pressure, but it did not do anything. As I recall, I then disassembled it and found that the filters and gaskets were no good and so I replaced it. That fixed the problem and I was then able to adjust my pressure down to about 60 PSI.

As you mentioned, perhaps the city figured that since it was installed inside the meter box that it belonged to them.
 

PlumbNuts

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To be clear, I did not install the original PRV. I discovered it when I looked inside the meter box. The reason I went poking around is because I suspected my water pressure was a bit high, and testing it confirmed my suspicion. Google led me to search for a PRV, and I found one inside the meter box. I tried adjusting the pressure, but it did not do anything. As I recall, I then disassembled it and found that the filters and gaskets were no good and so I replaced it. That fixed the problem and I was then able to adjust my pressure down to about 60 PSI.

As you mentioned, perhaps the city figured that since it was installed inside the meter box that it belonged to them.
That is very odd; no wonder you are scratching your head.
If you can just add one in the house near the main shut-off, otherwise dig up in front of your meter and install one. Perhaps get the new main installed sooner than you were planning.
 

Jeff H Young

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That is very odd; no wonder you are scratching your head.
If you can just add one in the house near the main shut-off, otherwise dig up in front of your meter and install one. Perhaps get the new main installed sooner than you were planning.
Yes very odd but thats the customer story so I belive it. I d dig down and see if its buried just out side box , hey its florida its shallow and easy digging no coral where the water line is gotta get a shovel past the st augustine grass is all
 

Temp945

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I have a hazy recollection that the ground was dug up nearby the meter box when the city was doing the work a while back.

It's a treasure hunt :p
 
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