Shutoff / Meter mystery of the day

[Jim Bob 4820]

My folks live in a townhome retirement complex, self manage irrigation system which my Dad helps with, so he gets the call on a leaky head, which is NOT actually a head. The irrigation valves are on the other side of the lot, and when we drive over, the leaky “not a head” is actually a pipe stub at grade between the shutoff valve and the meter box. It’s pressurized, and the irrigation main valve and zone valves are off, so not irrigation. This looks like a PEX cap to me, and it appears be on 1/2 inch white PEX, unfortunately too far under water for me to get a picture of pipe, just have this pic of cap, where part of it has been clipped by mower. This is more entertainment than need of a recommendation, but anyone bored enough to conjecture why this thing is stubbed out here? Think they were purging the meter during construction and capped off a stub or something?

Speculation provides great entertainment for a bunch of retirees!

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0hWamosMf7ltAZCNJWgWgGJQA#Cumming

 

[WorthFlorida]

Being made of metal it is probably a backflow preventer since it is between the meter and the first main irrigation (master?) valve. Most homes in Florida have been upgraded with backflow preventers. The odd looking brass cylinder next to the meter has the connection to the meter below it. It's made as an offset to easily fit in most situations by rotating it. I had to turn off the water at the meter to add an outside spigot and redo some piping into the house. Turning the water off at the meter cause the PVC thread nipple to leak. Crappy work from who knows when. Click on image to enlarge it.

About a year or two ago in my neighborhood many backflow preventers were relocated and moved closer to the meter. It included mine home. I think they failed a smoke test that is required every two years or so and the water utility company owns these. In your case call the water company to see if they repair it. I'm sure that it not the first time a mower has whacked one.