Water Gate Valve
The water gate valve is a 3" Open Left (OL) East Jordan Resilient Wedge.
The gate valve is located at the southeastern corner of the property between the sidewalk and the street. The utility hole cover is marked with the words "WATER SUPPLY GATE". Despite its location on the city right-of-way, the valve is wholely owned and operated by the club.
Turning the Valve
The following supplies and needed and/or recommended:
- Crowbar (to open the utility hole cover)
- 8 ft water key w/ 2" square nut fitting (to turn the valve)
- Long-throw flashlight (to see into the water)
Use the crowbar to remove the inner plate of the utility hole cover. Pull and set aside. Do not leave the utility hole unattended with the cover removed. Using the flashlight, locate the 2" square nut on the top of the gate valve. Expect the gate valve to be fully submerged; the well is typically flooded with groundwater.
Turning On
- We can turn on the gate valve once the city has installed the water meter.
- Turn the key 14 full rotations (28 half rotations) in the counter-clockwise (CCW) direction.
- IMPORTANT: Wait a brief period between turns (particularly at the start) to allow pressure downstream to build gradually. This avoids any sudden inrush of water pressure that could damage the pipes.
Turning Off
- We must turn off the gate valve before the city removes the water meter.
- Turn the key 14 full rotations (28 half rotations) in the clockwise (CW) direction.
- Hand-tighten to ensure a watertight seal.
Lessons Learned
During the first season, there was some confusion with the new gate valve (2021) that resulted in water pressure issues. The valve was only opened 10 turns (20 half turns) per DPW guidance. We only partially opened the gate valve. As a result, we had numerous issues with water pressure (weak toilet flush) when the pool fill valve was open. Opening the gate valve an additional 4 turns (8 half turns) in late August 2021 solved the issue. We must open the gate valve the full 14 turns (28 half turns).
Due to the solid brass construction, the older (original) gate valve was sensitive to excess torque (due to the solid brass construction). It could be (easily?) permanently damaged by turning it too far. The new valve is far more resilient (hence the name!) as the disc rubber encapsulated disc can better absorb excess torque.
History
The gate valve was originally installed prior to club opening. Stamping on the original unit indicated a manufacture date in 1965.
The gate valve began leaking some time prior to the 2020 season. City DPW notes indicate issues may have started in 2011. Per contractor recommendation, the gate valve was rebuilt around April 2020. Unfortunately, this repair did not hold, and the gate valve began leaking again in October (2020) when the city DPW attempted to close it. Neither the contractor nor the city DPW would accept responsibility. According to city DPW notes, the gate was serviced in November (2020) to stop the leak, though only as a stopgap measure (gate replacement necessary).
The gate valve was fully replaced in April 2021.
Historically, the city DPW would open and close the gate valve for the club. Due to a number of reasons, this is no longer done (we were an exception; it is typical for the owner to turn). The club is solely responsible for turning the gate valve to open and close it seasonally.