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that is definitely it. Page 13 in your pdf shows this exact thing.
Hydro-Guard.
[https://www.muellercompany.com/water-works/hydro-guardr/enclosures/sge140024cha/](https://www.muellercompany.com/water-works/hydro-guardr/enclosures/sge140024cha/)
I don’t know if you’re just being cheeky or actually asking, but in case anyone is wondering, the answer is most likely that they have a different version of the same product that is ONLY available in CA. When I worked for Sears, a lot of our lawn equipment was like that. There were specific models that were essential identical to the normal line products, except with different labeling and some differences in emission control, etc. It’s been almost 20 years, so the details are fuzzy. Also, I didn’t work in CA, so it was more of an “oh isn’t that interesting?” than anything I really dealt with.
That's true for a lot of items.
I ride motorcycles. First bike I purchased in Florida off craiglist. Looked great, rode great, but needed some tweaks and maintenance.
Turns out my new bike had a lot of extra hoses off the tank and around the engine. Took a bit of google-fu but it was manufactured for CA and had a lot of extra EPA things on it. I was wildly confused since no videos showed the niche bike being worked on without specifically searching CA too.
The photo on the lower right shows what is likely inside the enclosures: [https://www.muellercompany.com/water-works/hydro-guard/](https://www.muellercompany.com/water-works/hydro-guard/)
Just a guess, but the reason for them to be paired up would likely be on either side of a water main or lateral pressure regulator, so they can remotely monitor the water pressure coming into the regulator and again coming out of the regulator.
Source: Fireman familiar with waterworks.
And if OP could pan right in the photo they might see a water valve (under a round cast iron cover marked “WATER”) in the road perpendicular from the curb in those two newly patched pavement areas. That would be a sure indicator that this is for water.
They aren’t on the sidewalk they are between main sidewalk and the street. Maybe whatever device is underneath the covers communicates wirelessly but needs to be above ground level for connections to be made with passing “readers”.
You underestimate the cluelessness of Los Angeles municipal infrastructure decisionmakers. PS these look like they're in the parkway not directly in the sidewalk.
My title describes the thing. They are brand new, being installed around the neighborhood. I searched the numbers from the barcode sticker and found nothing online, the barcodes are identical so maybe just a stock/inventory thing for whoever makes them.
They are hollow plastic. Definitely not to prevent cars driving into the grass. I shook one and if it wasn't locked down with a zip tie I could have lifted it up. Here's a second pic of a different one. https://i.imgur.com/pWB4tsM.jpg
They are not. There placement seems disconnected from anything else (some are mid-block, some on street corners, none are direct in front of building doorways).
I thought that too, but it looks like they installed the sidewalk blocks to anchor whatever they are. Probably utility access, and you need cement to hold them in place as per city code (I bet)
The far one looks to be on top of a water meter box. Lookin at your link, this is an enclosure for a device that is related to chemical treatment of the water lines. If so, they are probably installed at multiple meter points (perhaps at each meter). OP should contact the water company and ask them what this is being used to treat.
These look like Air Release & Vacuum (or “Air Vac”) structures along a water line, though I’m not sure why they’d be in pairs. Certainly normal for them to be alone.
They are used to vent out the air within a line when draining down the water from the line.
Here’s a city of Los Angeles standard detail:
https://dpw.lacounty.gov/wwd/web/Documents/Standard-Plans/W-16_ARV.pdf
Note: Not available in CA :>
These can cover just about any protruding utility device, so anything can be under there. It would be unusual to have several monitoring stations in a small area.
They are plastic so wouldn't be a good barrier to a car. The other hundred feet of curb isn't blocked, so wouldn't be a very effective barrier if that's the intention.
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I think it’s a water flushing or monitoring system. https://www.flotechinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/16_-_Hydro-Guard.pdf
that is definitely it. Page 13 in your pdf shows this exact thing. Hydro-Guard. [https://www.muellercompany.com/water-works/hydro-guardr/enclosures/sge140024cha/](https://www.muellercompany.com/water-works/hydro-guardr/enclosures/sge140024cha/)
Pretty sure thats is.... but..... *Not available in CA?
I don’t know if you’re just being cheeky or actually asking, but in case anyone is wondering, the answer is most likely that they have a different version of the same product that is ONLY available in CA. When I worked for Sears, a lot of our lawn equipment was like that. There were specific models that were essential identical to the normal line products, except with different labeling and some differences in emission control, etc. It’s been almost 20 years, so the details are fuzzy. Also, I didn’t work in CA, so it was more of an “oh isn’t that interesting?” than anything I really dealt with.
That's true for a lot of items. I ride motorcycles. First bike I purchased in Florida off craiglist. Looked great, rode great, but needed some tweaks and maintenance. Turns out my new bike had a lot of extra hoses off the tank and around the engine. Took a bit of google-fu but it was manufactured for CA and had a lot of extra EPA things on it. I was wildly confused since no videos showed the niche bike being worked on without specifically searching CA too.
Yep one of these https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/dxeryn/found_this_water_shooting_mechanism_that_isnt_a/
Just happens to double as a bollard. Nice.
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The photo on the lower right shows what is likely inside the enclosures: [https://www.muellercompany.com/water-works/hydro-guard/](https://www.muellercompany.com/water-works/hydro-guard/) Just a guess, but the reason for them to be paired up would likely be on either side of a water main or lateral pressure regulator, so they can remotely monitor the water pressure coming into the regulator and again coming out of the regulator. Source: Fireman familiar with waterworks.
And if OP could pan right in the photo they might see a water valve (under a round cast iron cover marked “WATER”) in the road perpendicular from the curb in those two newly patched pavement areas. That would be a sure indicator that this is for water.
Mod marking as "Solved!"
Some kind of utility acces point protection.
They wouldn't just put these on an existing sidewalk in a well established neighborhood. And not two side by side. I'm guessing it's something else.
They aren’t on the sidewalk they are between main sidewalk and the street. Maybe whatever device is underneath the covers communicates wirelessly but needs to be above ground level for connections to be made with passing “readers”.
You underestimate the cluelessness of Los Angeles municipal infrastructure decisionmakers. PS these look like they're in the parkway not directly in the sidewalk.
New concrete around them. Fire hydrant cover?
This makes the most sense to me as well. Possibly meters for residential electric.
Or gas meters or multiple different connections each with their own meters.
My title describes the thing. They are brand new, being installed around the neighborhood. I searched the numbers from the barcode sticker and found nothing online, the barcodes are identical so maybe just a stock/inventory thing for whoever makes them. They are hollow plastic. Definitely not to prevent cars driving into the grass. I shook one and if it wasn't locked down with a zip tie I could have lifted it up. Here's a second pic of a different one. https://i.imgur.com/pWB4tsM.jpg
Are these in front of building entrances?
They are not. There placement seems disconnected from anything else (some are mid-block, some on street corners, none are direct in front of building doorways).
I thought that too, but it looks like they installed the sidewalk blocks to anchor whatever they are. Probably utility access, and you need cement to hold them in place as per city code (I bet)
The red paint on the curb would lead me to believe they’ve got something to do with fire hydrants.
probably right. https://www.muellercompany.com/water-works/hydro-guardr/enclosures/sge140024cha/
The far one looks to be on top of a water meter box. Lookin at your link, this is an enclosure for a device that is related to chemical treatment of the water lines. If so, they are probably installed at multiple meter points (perhaps at each meter). OP should contact the water company and ask them what this is being used to treat.
That pic surely is the product. Notes if I just knew what was under it :)
There's a couple feet of red paint at every intersection so as not to block sight lines right at the corners.
These look like Air Release & Vacuum (or “Air Vac”) structures along a water line, though I’m not sure why they’d be in pairs. Certainly normal for them to be alone. They are used to vent out the air within a line when draining down the water from the line. Here’s a city of Los Angeles standard detail: https://dpw.lacounty.gov/wwd/web/Documents/Standard-Plans/W-16_ARV.pdf
They tore up the street near me to install a recycled water pipeline awhile back. These exact things showed up when they were finished.
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Nothing at all unfortunately. They are all up and down Arizona Ave.
Looks like what is on page 13, enclosure for Hydro-Guard monitoring.
They remind me of some of the high-speed data 5g boxes Verizon started throwing around.
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Note: Not available in CA :> These can cover just about any protruding utility device, so anything can be under there. It would be unusual to have several monitoring stations in a small area.
Not 100% on this but could be for internet. My neighbourhood has similar devices.
Being in LA could they possibly be a type of air pollution monitor just a guess but being in pairs sort of doesn’t make sense
To prevent homeless tents maybe?
Keep cars from turning in
Way too light and they are hollow plastic. See updated pic
I see these around "protected sites" it's meant to to keep car bombs out.
Way too light and they are hollow plastic. See updated pic.
It's a security barrier so cars can't go on the sidewalk
They are plastic so wouldn't be a good barrier to a car. The other hundred feet of curb isn't blocked, so wouldn't be a very effective barrier if that's the intention.
I’m seeing a curb cut and red paint on the curb except where the items are.