external stopcock in road, need my own

[JBR]

I'm not stepping on someone's toes here, I hope, but have a bit of a concern.
Our external stopcock is in the road, as there is no pavement outside our house. I'd like to make sure it is cleared out in case of emergencies, but to do that safely, I'd have to stop the traffic somehow and it is a busy road.

Would United Utilities take any responsibility for that, even if I had to pay them? Ideally, I'd prefer to have it moved on to my property, but it is quite a slope up to the house and there are paths and trees in the direct line.

split off from other thread
Mod

 

[JohnD]

Park a car (or two) to the side of the pit, and work between them.

There is a way of angling the car and turning the steering so if someone runs into the back of it, it will tend to go to the side.

 

[JBR]

Thank you, John. Actually, that had occurred to me should I ever need to access the stop tap in an emergency. It is a busy road, though, but the traffic will just have to wait as there are no yellow lines.

Do you happen to know whether the water boards do move stop taps, even at a charge? I suppose I could ask and plead that accessing it could be dangerous.

 

[RobTi]

Scottish water, you just call and say your getting some work done and the plumber thinks the valve is buried, they will come out check and clear it for free

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

JBR, I'd look at fitting an additional valve on your property, once the pipe passes onto your property it'll be your responsibility anyway. You'll need to turn off the one in the road whilst you cut into the service to fit the new valve, but once fitted, you shouldn't need to disturb the one in the road.

 

[JBR]

JBR, I'd look at fitting an additional valve on your property, once the pipe passes onto your property it'll be your responsibility anyway. You'll need to turn off the one in the road whilst you cut into the service to fit the new valve, but once fitted, you shouldn't need to disturb the one in the road.

Thanks. Yes I had thought about that, and some weeks ago tried to dig down just outside the house to see if I could find the pipe. I understand that it would be about a yard deep and dug down at least a couple of feet without finding it, but then I got the willies in case I might undermine the foundations (it's a 1920s house), so gave up.

Perhaps I'd be better finding an expert who can locate the line of the water pipe further from the house.

 

[JohnD]

You could put one just inside your boundary, near the front gate, as close as possible to the one in the road.

If you dig a generously-sized rectangular hole, and line it with manhole rings, blocks, or poured concrete, it might make it easier when the time comes to lay a larger, plastic pipe, either to improve the flow to your house, or to replace the old pipe when it starts to leak. If it is close enough to the one in the road, you might be able to come to a low-cost arrangement with the water co workmen to connect your bigger plastic pipe when the put a water meter in. 25mm is quite a good size. You will be amazed at the improvement in flow.

If your house is old and has a lead supply pipe, ask the water co to test your drinking water for lead content. There may be a lead replacement subsidy, or they may connect your new pipe free.

@Ian H may have a suggestion

 

[JBR]

Thanks again, John.

Firstly, I know that the supply pipe is plastic all the way from the tap in the road to the stop tap under our sink. I saw the evidence some time ago when United Utilities dug up the road outside our house to do something to the main supply pipe running up the road. I could see quite clearly the branch to our house was plastic and also, when we had the floorboards up, the plastic pipe running from inside the wall to the kitchen.

Having a new stopcock just inside the boundary would be great. Unfortunately, just inside the wall forming our boundary is a raised and sloping, grassed area which I'd estimate is about three feet above the adjacent road level outside. That would suggest that the water pipe is around six feet down from the surface. I'm afraid I am not capable of digging a hole that deep at my age! I have a feeling that the supply pipe would remain at that depth as it rises up the hill to our house, until the surface levels off at about three yards from the house. This is what prompted me to dig close to the house as the further away I went, the deeper the pipe.

 

[JohnD]

already renewed? that's good.

'mmmm, I wonder if they moled it.

otherwise there would likely be traces on the surface where a trench was dug, then filled in.

If you know where it appears under the floorboards, was that where you dug?

 

[cdbe]

I'm all for DIY but there comes a point where it starts to get a bit silly. Hire a decent local plumber to isolate the stoptap in the street and replace your internal stoptap.

Sorry, it appears this thread has split into two - above advice is for the OP. For the other poster, assuming your existing internal stoptap is in good condition I fail to see what "emergency" you could have between your tap and the one in the street other than a puddle in your garden till a plumber or the waterboard (if there's a problem with the street tap) isolate the supply and repair the leak.

 

[Ian H]

Is it black plastic or blue?

I wouldn’t bother either way, especially if it is blue. If you still wanted to you could but a proper stoptap and chamber from Frazers in Radcliffe.

 

[JBR]

already renewed? that's good.

'mmmm, I wonder if they moled it.

otherwise there would likely be traces on the surface where a trench was dug, then filled in.

If you know where it appears under the floorboards, was that where you dug?

Apologies to the mods, and the OP, for straying off topic.

I'm sure they must have 'moled' it, as there is no evidence of any trench. I'm sure it would have been easier for them to mole it, anyway, because there are mature trees, paths, and quite a steep rise from the road to the house.

In response to other queries (assuming they were directed at me!) yes, Ian, the pipe is blue, but we have been here for over 10 years so it must have been put in before then.

CDBE, the internal stop tap is in good condition. I was just slightly concerned that the pipe from outside to the internal tap could become dislodged or damaged in some way.

 

[Ian H]

It would be very rare for blue to be damaged. I’ve seen 1 burst and 1 damaged due to a kink, any other fault on blue has been on a fitting and if yours was moled you won’t have many (if any) fittings.

 

[JBR]

Thanks Ian. Perhaps I should just trust to luck. Hopefully, as the internal stop tap seems to be in good condition, all should be OK.

 

[HERTS P&D]

as the internal stop tap seems to be in good condition

So you had 2 treads going and all along you have a working internal stopcock.



Andy