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I notice when I turn my frostless hydrant off with the hose connected, it siphons most if not all water from the hose. I am worried of potential plastic chemicals in the hose after it sits out in the sun leaching into my well water after the hydrant siphons the water all out - especially when I get around to installing drip irrigation systems.

Will a simple $5 plastic backflow preventer be all I need, or is there a certain product meant just for this? I will potentially be drinking the same water that flows back in the well after the frostless hydrant is shut off - yes?

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I will potentially be drinking the same water that flows back in the well after the frostless hydrant is shut off - yes?

No. Freezeless faucets drain their water back into the ground at their base below the frost line when turned off, NOT IN TO THE SUPPLY. The freezeless facuet drains this water so the pipes above the frost line have no water to freeze in them; hence a freezeless faucet.

Will a simple $5 plastic backflow preventer be all I need?

You get what you pay for. Will a 5$ part function as well as a 125$? Of course not! Will it work well out of the box? probably yes and probably fairly well. But it will not be as effective at stopping backflow, it will probably not work for as many years to come as a true backflow preventer, it probably cannot be tested, and it probably cannot be repaired.

...or is there a certain product meant just for this?

There are true backflow preveters for this that are designed to effectively stop backflor that are able to be checked and tested for reliability and repaired. These typically installed run 200-300 in parts alone for the backflow, fittings, boxes, etc. Labor can easily double or triple this in many cases.

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  • Thanks a lot @Damon - I heard they empty at the base of the hydrant, but that seems odd...a lot of water to dump at the base time, and time again when I have 300' of hose attached. I will definitely want a backflow preventer then when I install a couple thousand feet of drip irrigation line. I just laid 1,000 feet last night. I bought a couple backflow preventers from the drip company. Does a house need a backflow preventer for any reason after the water comes into the home? Or just for external irrigation applications? (sprinklers, drippers, etc)?
    – CCCBuilder
    Commented Jun 21, 2015 at 17:46
  • Typically you install a backflow for safety reasons, not to conserve or prevent water from draining. Landscape areas have fertilizers and chemicals that are applied and this could contaminate the water in the lines which just might end up making its way back to the house. If you are just worried about water draining, then a simple check valve should work.
    – Damon
    Commented Jun 22, 2015 at 3:49
  • I'm trying to save money by doing this all myself - but I do not want to contaminate my well by a foolish mistake. I don't see the drip line drain back causing problems besides the fact it has to re-fill each time. But to the line I run to my house, I am just trying to find out what is typically done one the water line comes inside...such as a backflow preventer or nothing at all?
    – CCCBuilder
    Commented Jun 22, 2015 at 4:05

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