DIY mysteries: WTF is with all the pipes?

jules4

In mid August I was in Tampa for a few weeks visiting my grandmother who has recently moved into a small house in Seminole Heights. Previous owners appear to have been enthusiastic (if misguided) DIYers, leaving a trail of poorly executed “home improvements” in their wake. However, the backyard takes the cake for DIY wackiness.

There are literally over a dozen 3/4" and 1/2" iron pipes sticking out of the ground, all different heights, often in groups of two or three. A number of the pipes end in hose bibs (currently dry), some are capped off, quite a few have gate valves installed. (There are also a lot of small grey and white plastic pipes.)

Since there’s an old well pump in the yard I assume all (or most) of these pipes were at one point used to carry water from this pump. But I’m mystified as to why anyone would need this many water pipes in a relative small backyard. For example, in one place there are three iron pipes right next to each other, each one with a hose bib (one actually has two hose bibs). Why on earth would three separate lines have been needed in one place? (Only two feet away from this is another iron pipe and two plastic ones.)

Anyone have any idea what is going on here? Plumbing fetish? Clandestine water park?

braindead

SAY NO TO DRUGS!!

DangerMouse

For the greenhouse that used to be there perhaps?

DM

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jules4

I could believe some sort of irrigation project, or water supply for the various out-buildings that apparently used to be there, if it had been three or four pipes, or even a dozen pipes if they were all singly spaced - but I can't come up with any irrigation-related reason for needing all those groups of two or three pipes together.

There must be some reason for it though - no one would go through the effort of burying that much pipe for no reason

nap

a series of raised bed planting units where is was easier to provide a supply pipe for each bed?

kenmac

Irrigation.. That pump is on a well.. My father lives in FL. almost every house on his st. has a well & pump set up to water the grass

steveel

asked the neighbors yet?

jules4

Was one of the first things I did - they are just as mystified, although one neighbour did say that the guy who owned the house for a year before my grandmother bought it had already taken a load of plumbing out of the yard (and accidentally cut through a capped gas line that was buried alongside some of the pipes in the middle of yard - oops!)

jules4

This is perhaps the most reasonable suggestion - although it would have made more sense to split the pipes into multiple runs after they came out of the ground than to bury multiple lines (one would think that one 1 1/2" line would be capable of suppling enough water for several raised beds). I suppose they might have had lots of pipe, but only a limited supply of fittings.

Although the backyard is also covered in broken glass, which would fit DM's greenhouse theory as well (maybe several green houses, since there are least three concrete slabs in the yard that were presumably for structures of some sort).

nap

greenhouses with many tables for the plants. Includes all the evidence.

problem solved. Now, what's the next major unknown in the world we can solve

lloydb

The water pipes was actually their second project.

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jules4

Ah . . . it's all becoming clear now.

The pipe arrangement is actually a sophisticated hydrological calender installed by a race of pre-modern plumbers.

lloydb

Yeah, and that's the project they picked because Stonehenge totally wore 'em out.

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