What is this plumbing? (Commercial Water Acess)

[Dez]

Hello everyone, I clean fleet vehicles for a living. I'm needing over 5,000 gal per visit to take care of a new account we may receive and I'm told they have zero water access for me at their building. Given the size of fleet it's not cost effective to haul the water in. On a site visit I noticed two 1-1/2"??? "risers" that I may be able to pull water from. I've never seen anything like them before so I don't know what to bring to "work" on them. I'm going back tonight to give them a demo on one of their units and I can bring a pipe wrench and report back. The manhole cover next to both of them is stamped water meter so I'm assuming they would be customer service lines but the pipe cap and screened horizontal leg has me stumped as to what they could be and what I would need to bring with me to hook some large hose to them. I would be very appreciative if anyone could tell me what I'm looking at here. Thank you

 

[Mr_David]

Looks like an air vent for the manhole. That is definitely not a water supply.
3rd photo has the bottom of the horizontal pipe cut out with a screen welded over it

 

[Mr_David]

Open the manhole and look inside.
probably not something you want to mess with.
If you don't know what you're messing with best not to mess with it.

 

[Dez]

Looks like an air vent for the manhole. That is definitely not a water supply.
3rd photo has a the bottom of the horizontal pipe cut out with a screen welded over it

Correct, that's what had me stumped the most until I found out online sewer lines are metered as well. So I can see how they would still be using a manhole lid with water meter cast into it. Then if it's sewer, I would definitely see how it could just be a vent. Yes, I too believe that's what's going on there. So now before I start messing with it in going after their sprinkler control boxes??? No idea, I hope I have some luck looking for water tonight. I'm completely out if I have to make 5 trips for water somewhere.

 

[Mr_David]

Look for a fire hydrant.
You can get water there if you get a meter. city doesn't want you stealing water

 

[journeyman]

Looks like something not to mess with

 

[Dez]

Looks like something not to mess with

Geez, it's just a lid lol, you think we'll all blow up because I peeked in it? I just got back home from doing their demo and after taking a better look it was sewer and it turned out to be just a vent. I think I'll just have to put a deposit down on yet another hydrant meter because I didn't find anything.

 

[Dez]

Look for a fire hydrant.
You can get water there if you get a meter. city doesn't want you stealing water

I have about $7,500 already tied up in meters already and over the years they get harder and harder for mobile contract cleaners to obtain. They are a pain to deal with so I do my best not to get in this situation I've put myself in. I just can't leave that money on the table so I'll look into selling a restaurant nearby and drop a onion tank there and leave it filling while we work.

 

[TomFOhio]

Could be a capped off gas line too.