Main Water Supply - Help

[richo106]

Hi all

 

I need to increase the water pipe size that goes into my property, currently there is a 15mm copper pipe into my house

 

My plan is to excavate back to the main water valve which is located in the pavement, I have attached a couple of photos of the stop valve (not the best photos) and my plumber seems to think it looks quite new-ish and they might of replaced a small section onto my land so I could join onto that. Is there anyway of finding this out through Severn Trent at all?

 

What is the likely material of the pipe coming off the valve? And what is the best way off trying to locate the pipe just on my property? Should I be able to tell which way the pipe leaves the valve?

 

And if i need to dig up the pavement to get onto the valve, do i need to contact the local council or anything?

 

Any advice or any information would be much appreciated

 

Many Thanks

[ProDave]

The pipe will leave in line with the valve and water meter so just about horizontal in the first picture.  I would expect it to be 25mm mdpe

 

Dig down on that line at the edge of your property and hopefully you will find mdpe.  Worst case there is a joint to something smaller under the pavement.

 

If you do need to dig up the pavement you need a road opening licence from your council and you must employ a contractor with a minor streetworks permit.

 

Dig in your own garden as close to the pavement as possible to see what you have.

[richo106]

Thank you @ProDave I will do some investigating

 

Thanks again

[PeterW]

  On 10/05/2023 at 10:59, richo106 said:

there is a 15mm copper pipe into my house

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15mm copper will be connected to something else as it’s not used underground. Where does it appear ..?

 

  On 10/05/2023 at 11:21, ProDave said:

Dig down on that line at the edge of your property and hopefully you will find mdpe. 

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That’s what you need to do - carefully..!

[richo106]

  On 10/05/2023 at 11:49, PeterW said:

15mm copper will be connected to something else as it’s not used underground. Where does it appear ..?

 

That’s what you need to do - carefully..!

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It appeared through old concrete kitchen floor, I have now moved it on to the outside on the property so can be used by the builders etc

 

I have traced it back 2 feet from the house and still in copper. I don't know if its worth tracing a bit more back (25m back to the stop valve) or just try and find it at the land boundary and excavate a new trench for some new mdpe

 

Can I lay mdpe directly in a trench or is best to cover in sand etc?

 

Many Thanks

[jayc89]

Our meter is only 100mm from our boundary. We managed to dig enough out under the pavement to pass the new pipe through and connect it. Yorkshire Water has some guidelines around when this can/can't be done, so might be worth checking your local water board. 

[jayc89]

  On 10/05/2023 at 12:25, richo106 said:

It appeared through old concrete kitchen floor, I have now moved it on to the outside on the property so can be used by the builders etc

 

I have traced it back 2 feet from the house and still in copper. I don't know if its worth tracing a bit more back (25m back to the stop valve) or just try and find it at the land boundary and excavate a new trench for some new mdpe

 

Can I lay mdpe directly in a trench or is best to cover in sand etc?

 

Many Thanks

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I laid ours 800mm down, covered in sand, laid some magnetic tape across and then backfilled. 

[PeterW]

If it is MDPE then it needs to be in a trench between 750-1350mm deep and either :

- bedded in 200mm of sand; or

- ducted with an appropriate duct (ie 63mm blue duct)

Warning tape is optional on private property ….

 

 

[Conor]

I worked on various projects over the years involving mains replacement, new meter connections. I'm 99% sure there will be a 25mm MDPE tail coming off that meter box and connect to your private supply within about 500-1000mm of the box.

[richo106]

Thank you all for the comments, I might go for the ducting option. I will ensure it is at least 750mm deep

 

My civils guy can dig the trench one day, Ill lay the ducting and install the MDPE and then he can back fill and tidy all up the day after

 

 

[richo106]

This is the location of the meter in relation to my boundary/drive 

 

I will start to excavate about 700mm away from the valve to see if I can locate it 

[richo106]

[markocosic]

  On 10/05/2023 at 11:49, PeterW said:

15mm copper will be connected to something else as it’s not used underground. Where does it appear ..?

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Not always.

 

e.g.

 

1970s built council housing in Cambridge has 1/2" copper running from brass stop tap in the street all the way under the floor and up through the slab. 1/2" copper the whole way. 

[saveasteading]

  On 10/05/2023 at 11:49, PeterW said:

carefully

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  On 14/05/2023 at 13:44, markocosic said:

1/2" copper the whole way. 

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Useful. I wouldn't have known that and thought it was steel.

Either way, this will be very fragile. It is worth digging a well oversized hole by spade to half way, then starting to be really careful with the rest.

It should be surrounded in gravel, but you can't count on it.

 

I found that our new meter had been inserted into a rusty steel pipe which had failed on our side , £1,000 water bill showed us this. Not paid....another story of incompetence and corruption. I.e. don't assume good workmanship.

 

When you are going to work on the new pipe you will need to turn off the water. Perhaps buy the meter key now, just in case.

 

[markocosic]

Gravel?

 

Ha!

 

Chucked straight into claggy wet clay.

 

Looked absolutely perfect when excavated for the water meter installation though.

 

Historically I suspect you'd never know if the electricity neutral in this area failed. Huge buried cooper network between the houses until they started fitting meters. 

[jayc89]

  On 10/05/2023 at 20:31, richo106 said:

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Looks similar to mine, dig down to ~ 800mm on your side, find your existing supply and follow it back. I found it easiest to rake out with the end of a crow bar, kept the opening pretty small.