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Resident asks city to investigate low water flow after years of complaints
Summary
A Hyde Park resident told council members the water flow in his neighborhood is inadequate and petitioned for public works to inspect meter sizes and mainline flow; city staff agreed to investigate and invited the resident to review hydrant pressure readings.
Chad DeVries of 308 East 450 North told the City Council that his home has had low water flow for years and that the meter serving his house is an uncommon 5/8-inch size, which he believes restricts flow.
"Oftentimes, I am trying to run my sprinklers, and I have to tell my family not to use the bathroom or run the sink because my sprinklers will go down," DeVries said, adding that he collected signatures from 10 neighbors on a petition about the issue.
DeVries said he had checked his meter and found a 5/8-inch size, while city standards call for 3/4-inch meters and 1-inch lines in many situations. He asked the council to send Public Works to inspect meters in the neighborhood.
Mayor Peterson and Marcus (city staff) discussed the city's procedures. Marcus said staff measured pressure at a nearby fire hydrant and noted that flow can be restricted by the diameter of the service line from the meter to the home: "If it's a 5/8-inch line that goes from a meter to the house, the size of the meter isn't going to affect the flow. It's restricted by the diameter of the pipe," Marcus said. He offered to have Public Works repeat measurements and invited DeVries to review the hydrant readings with staff.
Council members asked staff to broaden the inspection if multiple neighbors are reporting similar problems. Councilmember Brian (council member) reported contacting a neighbor south of DeVries who reported the same difficulties. Marcus said the city will follow up with Public Works and water staff to determine whether the issue is localized to a single service line or affects a wider area.
Ending: Council directed staff to investigate water meter sizes and flow in the area, consult Public Works and the city water manager, and share findings with the resident and council.
