Water mains reconnection

[PSC88]

Hi all hope you can help.

 

we have just demolished a bungalow read for rebuilding a 2 storey house.

 

my mains water meter is just on the boundary of my property at the main entrance to the plot.

 

my builder disconnected the water and has setup a temporary water supply from the main supply. We didn’t get the utility company involved in this.

 

the new property is going to be roughly in the same position as the bungalow and we will need to arrange the water reconnection .

 

Will my builder be able to do this? He has asked for details for the reconnection so im

guessing I provide him with where I want the new main stop cock to be? 
 

he will be able to dig the trench and lay any pipework?

 

do I need to get the utility company involved at any point 

 

many thanks 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 16 hours ago by PSC88

[MikeSharp01]

If your contractor has set up a water supply for the site from your connection point, assume its a water meter but it may just be a stop cock, then they can do all the other work without the water company being involved - they just need to follow the regs eg double non return valves etc.

[Conor]

No, just connect your new supply pipe to the back of the meter box where the builder disconnected the original supply. you'll want 25mm mdpe brought to your plant room.

 

I'm assuming the builder just removed the old pipe to near the meter and stuck in a tempory stand pipe for the build. 

[Spinny]

Why not phone up the water utility company and ask them. If a new water pipe is going to be connected to their water meter I'd have thought they would want to be informed.

 

We were not building a new house, but we did replace the lead pipe connection down our drive with a new MDPE pipe. The connection at the pavement was done by the water utility company and effectively connected the new MDPE pipe we had put in by a private contractor to the mains supply and removed the old lead pipe connection. We were increasing the bore of our mains connection, but:

The Utility Company had stated requirements for the install of the new pipe. They had an inspector that was required to approve things before the connection/move to the new pipe. Either coming in person while trenches were open, or looking to see photographs showing pipe was at the necessary depth etc.

This is also something building regs should be insterested in - for example at least knowing that the utility company inspected your pipe.

 

Now it might be tempting to play dumb, not talk to anyone, and just connect a new pipe. But down the line when someone is buying the house and the connection was not notified, or approved, or passed, you might live to regret it. Also regs and requirements are there for reasons that help to protect you as building occupier and owner. Your builder may be very good, or may not be. Do you want to wait until move in to find the mains freezes in winter, or leaks etc. If builder does everything A1 then a utility inspector will pass it in a flash, if not then you would want to know wouldn't you.

 

Show your builder that you want a straight bat, that you are asking the right people the right questions - good ones will expect that.

 

Also when our new pipe was connected the water utility accidentally broke the connector - had to turn the water off to the whole street to fix it. What is your builder going to do if that happens ? scarper ?

 

Honestly in the context of the costs of building something, then any charge involved in going by the book is worth accepting and paying.

[Russell griffiths]

6 minutes ago, Spinny said:

Why not phone up the water utility company and ask them. If a new water pipe is going to be connected to their water meter I'd have thought they would want to be informed.

 

We were not building a new house, but we did replace the lead pipe connection down our drive with a new MDPE pipe. The connection at the pavement was done by the water utility company and effectively connected the new MDPE pipe we had put in by a private contractor to the mains supply and removed the old lead pipe connection. We were increasing the bore of our mains connection, but:

The Utility Company had stated requirements for the install of the new pipe. They had an inspector that was required to approve things before the connection/move to the new pipe. Either coming in person while trenches were open, or looking to see photographs showing pipe was at the necessary depth etc.

This is also something building regs should be insterested in - for example at least knowing that the utility company inspected your pipe.

 

Now it might be tempting to play dumb, not talk to anyone, and just connect a new pipe. But down the line when someone is buying the house and the connection was not notified, or approved, or passed, you might live to regret it. Also regs and requirements are there for reasons that help to protect you as building occupier and owner. Your builder may be very good, or may not be. Do you want to wait until move in to find the mains freezes in winter, or leaks etc. If builder does everything A1 then a utility inspector will pass it in a flash, if not then you would want to know wouldn't you.

 

Show your builder that you want a straight bat, that you are asking the right people the right questions - good ones will expect that.

 

Also when our new pipe was connected the water utility accidentally broke the connector - had to turn the water off to the whole street to fix it. What is your builder going to do if that happens ? scarper ?

 

Honestly in the context of the costs of building something, then any charge involved in going by the book is worth accepting and paying.

No need to do any of this ⬆️

if you have a meter already inplace then everything your side is yours

you just look up the correct spec and get it put in to that spec, as said previously double check valve on the new pipework into the house. 
tbh the builders pipe he put in should have one installed as well to stop any site contamination getting back into the main.