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Board recommends 8‑inch water main for Luke Stevens property after lengthy discussion on flow, distance and cost
Summary
The board and staff discussed whether to require an 8‑inch rather than a 6‑inch water main to serve a new home at 1308 South State Street; after review of fire-flow modeling, hydrant placement and easement constraints the consensus was to proceed with an 8‑inch main despite an estimated roughly $10,000 higher pipe cost.
The Orderville Town Board held an extended discussion about water service to a proposed home on property owned by Luke Stevens at 1308 South State Street, focusing on whether the town should require an 8‑inch distribution main rather than a 6‑inch line.
Luke Stevens told the board he needs to run water roughly 1,000–1,200 feet from the nearest town connection to reach the proposed house location and that the price difference between a 6‑inch and an 8‑inch pipe was significant — he estimated about $10,000 more for the larger pipe. Stevens also said his insurance agent is primarily concerned with the location of a fire station and not with hydrant flow data.
Town staff, including the fire chief and water department representatives, said state standards and the town’s recent practice favor an 8‑inch main where hydrants and fire flow are required. Staff cited results of a hydraulic model that show higher friction loss in a 6‑inch line could reduce fire flow at the house location. The board discussed alternatives, including running an 8‑inch line along the highway and then teeing to a smaller service line to the house, or placing a hydrant closer to the highway to shorten the distance from a hydrant to the house to about 500–600 feet.
Board members noted constraints including easements, the existence of larger irrigation pipes and potential future state road work that could affect placement. They also discussed the higher cost to Stevens and the risk that models do not perfectly reflect field conditions. Stevens said he did not want to refuse an 8‑inch if the town required it, but expressed concern about paying extra for a model-driven requirement.
Although there was no formal vote recorded on the water main size, the board’s direction and discussion led to a clear consensus: proceed with an 8‑inch main to meet the town’s fire-flow standard and hydrant requirements while staff and Stevens explore exact placement and options to shorten the run to the house.
