Mains water connection

[awk]

Hi,

We have finally found a property/plot (knock it down, start again) which WE BOTH like - ticks just about all the boxes.

 

However, there is a bit of a curveball in terms of water supply. It’s in the Oxfordshire countryside - we were expecting private drainage, but it’s also got a private water supply, via a neighbouring farm’s borehole. Even the estate agent has said that this is unusual, says the current owners have never had any problems and just wants to dismiss it rather than have a meaningful conversation. The current owner is an elderly widow who genuinely doesn’t understand and when I tried calling the water board (Severn Trent), they wouldn’t have general non-committal conversation and just said make an application, pay the fee and they would respond.

 

So, lots of red flags for us “townies” - but, before running away, I thought I’d ask for thoughts here.

 

The plot is about 300m up a lane from a main road which has a string of houses on it (I don’t know, but assume they have mains water) and is about 20m higher. I’m guessing my question is whether this is impossible, or does it come down to a large cheque? and if so, how many zeros?

 

thanks in advance.

 

 

[nod]

Nothing’s impossible But sounds expensive 

Id speak to the farmer and see if it’s possible to get a more formal agreement 

He may even want to help the old lady out by helping you It won’t cost you anything to ask 

[sharpener]

I'd be tempted to put in my own borehole to be independent of the farmer (and whatever he puts on his land by way of cow muck, fertilizers and pesticides). There was a recent case near us where a village was supplied by a communal borehole but the farmer still got PP for a great new slurry pond near it.

 

Have seen quite a few borehole threads on here and don't have any great personal interest, but high single £ks are what springs to mind (sorry). You would also need to budget for break tank, pump etc and treatment depending on analysis, but present owner may be relying on farmer for adequate treatment anyway. A local co will probably be able to advise on that too.

 

 

Edited Sunday at 17:24 by sharpener

[Kelvin]

I’d put in a request for a mains supply to Severn Trent to get confirmation whether it can be supplied or not and an idea of the cost. I’d definitely look to have my own water supply. In fact I wouldn’t buy a plot without it. I have an elderly neighbour who gets her water from another neighbour. That supply has run into a problem and she currently has no potable water. It’s been fine for years and now it isn’t. She can’t drill her own borehole as there are two very nearby and none of the companies are willing to do it. 
 

Boreholes can be expensive as it depends on how deep the hole needs to be and what needs to be done to secure it and what equipment is needed to pump it out and get it it into the house. Ask the farmer for details on the current borehole that provides the supply. It’s no guarantee that a new borehole will be the same design, ours is very different from our neighbour who is a few hundred metres away below us. For example ours is 147m deep his is 80m. To drill ours the vendor paid £18,000 and I paid £9000 for all the plant. A shallow hole with a simple install could be half that or less. 
 

I was chatting to a builder when I was in Stratford Upon Avon this weekend. He lives near Hastings and lives off grid. He has a borehole at 120m. Been fine for 10 years but ran dry last week. Boreholes aren’t a guaranteed water supply unfortunately. 
 

Personally I’d prefer to be on a mains supply given a choice. Water insecurity is a bit stressful. Another neighbour with a private supply loses sleep over it. I don’t so much as I’m relatively confident our supply will be fine but it’s not guaranteed and we don’t have an easy plan B. 

Edited Sunday at 17:51 by Kelvin