Surely then the stop tap can be closed off outside the dig zone?
If not, you might need the water company input.
Building over our water supply pipe?
- Thread starter Ivor Windybottom
- Start date
If not, you might need the water company input.
Yes it can, unfortunately its downstream of the dig zone
If he is going to build over their supply pipe he needs to talk to them or do it on the fly
Shutting off this pipe, other than squeezing it shut with a clamp, would probably involve shutting off multiple houses.
I've read that clamping plastic pipes isn't good for them, they may return to their flattened state so we'd get restricted flow for ever.
I saw them fitting the water meter, they did it with water squirting out of the pipe at full pressure. So it's messy but can be done.
I'll update if/when the water company tell me what they suggest. I've sent them plans, grid references etc.
I know that the pipe doesn't have a wayleave right for the neighbouring land it already crosses. So it's possible that I may have opened a can of worms by asking them, and a load of legal stuff now becomes necessary.
I've read that clamping plastic pipes isn't good for them, they may return to their flattened state so we'd get restricted flow for ever.
I saw them fitting the water meter, they did it with water squirting out of the pipe at full pressure. So it's messy but can be done.
I'll update if/when the water company tell me what they suggest. I've sent them plans, grid references etc.
I know that the pipe doesn't have a wayleave right for the neighbouring land it already crosses. So it's possible that I may have opened a can of worms by asking them, and a load of legal stuff now becomes necessary.
I've got no problem at all with digging a trench. The problem's that I don't think I'm allowed to do anything with it, i.e. disconnect, divert etc.
Moving it probably involves paperwork, legalities and ££££s. So I'm looking at just building around it. Not really over as stated in the title, the foundation would be deeper so it would end up encapsulated in the concrete.
I'll dig it out by hand where footings are needed before the digger bloke gets here and go wild with the spray paint. Stick some warning stakes into the air from it or something, should be fine.
Unless the water company come up with any sensible ideas.
If you've previously excavated it's length on your property just repeat and swing it, meter/stop tap attached, to where you want it in a new trench and extend your communication pipe to meet it. Obviously assuming there's sufficient room at your boundary to "bend" it round your garage.
Thanks, that's a really bloody good idea, but they used to read the water meter every year and the bloke knew where it was. It's now a smart meter, but these do still need their batteries changing every few years.
I might still do it though. Deal with the probably small consequences if they do make a fuss in future.
Does anyone know what the recommended minimum bend radius is for the blue underground pipe? I'd need to do a 90 degree turn within less than a metre, so I might struggle to get it down the side of the new garage.
I can just buy some pipe, do a messy above-ground lash-up while building, out of the way of the digger, then stick it alongside the new wall after it's all up to DPC.
Brilliant, I've found that the minimum bend radius for standard 25mm pipe is 625mm. So this plan will work perfectly, I can bend it 90 degrees within the 770mm gap between the boundary and new wall.
www.kalsiplastics.co.uk
Problem solved, thanks to everyone for all the ideas. Big gold star for the last idea of ripping the whole lot out of the ground and wrestling it into a new position, importantly without disconnecting the meter from the network.
MDPE Pipe Sizes: 20mm, 25mm, 32mm, 50mm — Complete Guide | Kalsi Plastics
Choose the right MDPE pipe size for your UK water supply project. Covers 20mm to 63mm dimensions, pressure ratings, flow rates, and WRAS requirements.
Problem solved, thanks to everyone for all the ideas. Big gold star for the last idea of ripping the whole lot out of the ground and wrestling it into a new position, importantly without disconnecting the meter from the network.
No reply from the water company to my detailed email including a photo and plans.
I'm hoping that they don't reply, then I'm absolutely justified in going ahead with the plan as above.
But it's more likely they'll reply in about a month with a quotation involving far too many digits.
I'm hoping that they don't reply, then I'm absolutely justified in going ahead with the plan as above.
But it's more likely they'll reply in about a month with a quotation involving far too many digits.
It'll be absolutely fine. It will just go down the side of the new garage, and has total freedom to go wherever the pipe length dictates that it ends up. Then I just pipe from there, and couple onto the pipe that previously connected to the meter's outlet.
Initially it will go the opposite way though, away from where we're digging. Lying on the surface which, realistically, means it will be next year to avoid frost risk while I get the foundations dug, concreted and built up to DPC. That's fine by me, there's lots else to sort out anyway and I don't like building in Autumn/Winter as it's awful and often ends up looking rubbish due to rain and damp bricks.
Initially it will go the opposite way though, away from where we're digging. Lying on the surface which, realistically, means it will be next year to avoid frost risk while I get the foundations dug, concreted and built up to DPC. That's fine by me, there's lots else to sort out anyway and I don't like building in Autumn/Winter as it's awful and often ends up looking rubbish due to rain and damp bricks.
An update... The water supplier visited as I requested. I told the bloke I wanted to turn off at the meter, disconnect our pipe from it, dig out the meter and 6m of its supply pipe, then lift the whole lot and move it elsewhere.
His response... Fine, go ahead. Shocking! He even told me to get the 25mm "shims" needed to prise the outlet push-fit connector open to unplug the pipe from the meter, also told me that if it wouldn't bend enough without kinking I could clamp it off and fit an elbow. He said he was grateful I was asking and wasn't just building over it as many do.
So I've done the temporary diversion above ground now, all went very smoothly, the pipe curved no problem. It's about 1m deep at the boundary, so I got some good exercise. I bought 20m of 28mm pipe insulation for all of £30 just to give a bit of frost protection as it's approaching that time of the year. I've also wrapped the meter housing in some leftover 10mm expansion joint packing, it looks like it's wearing a nappy. So it's now completely out of my way. Now we have a clear run to dig and build, then it just needs dropping on top of the footing once I build the first course of blockwork. I may as well leave the insulation on it, it won't do any harm.
The only issue I had was that I had a tiny weeping leak from the outlet pipe after fitting. The soil under it was damp. I'm sure it would have been a bit of grit in the seal. I took it all back apart yesterday, cleaned everything with a new clean cloth, chopped off a new end on the pipe and reassembled with a smear of plumbers goo and all is well. I've since seen the instructions on the back of the bag of shims, which states that you can and should change the seal inside the fitting. I'll get one and do this when I disconnect next time, when it's going in its final route.
So a huge thank you to all for the ideas, (1) moving it as-is, and (2) doing a temporary diversion. All achieved for a total investment of £80 and a bit of DIY. The power of an internet forum for sharing ideas.
His response... Fine, go ahead. Shocking! He even told me to get the 25mm "shims" needed to prise the outlet push-fit connector open to unplug the pipe from the meter, also told me that if it wouldn't bend enough without kinking I could clamp it off and fit an elbow. He said he was grateful I was asking and wasn't just building over it as many do.
So I've done the temporary diversion above ground now, all went very smoothly, the pipe curved no problem. It's about 1m deep at the boundary, so I got some good exercise. I bought 20m of 28mm pipe insulation for all of £30 just to give a bit of frost protection as it's approaching that time of the year. I've also wrapped the meter housing in some leftover 10mm expansion joint packing, it looks like it's wearing a nappy. So it's now completely out of my way. Now we have a clear run to dig and build, then it just needs dropping on top of the footing once I build the first course of blockwork. I may as well leave the insulation on it, it won't do any harm.
The only issue I had was that I had a tiny weeping leak from the outlet pipe after fitting. The soil under it was damp. I'm sure it would have been a bit of grit in the seal. I took it all back apart yesterday, cleaned everything with a new clean cloth, chopped off a new end on the pipe and reassembled with a smear of plumbers goo and all is well. I've since seen the instructions on the back of the bag of shims, which states that you can and should change the seal inside the fitting. I'll get one and do this when I disconnect next time, when it's going in its final route.
So a huge thank you to all for the ideas, (1) moving it as-is, and (2) doing a temporary diversion. All achieved for a total investment of £80 and a bit of DIY. The power of an internet forum for sharing ideas.
For the info of anyone else finding this in the future...
The "grip ring" is the part that needs replacing, available here...
TALBOT 25mm Push Fit Spare Replacement Grip Ring - 1891
There's also an o-ring, part code 1862. It may make more sense to just buy any Talbot pushfit fitting and steal the grip ring and o-ring from this, if possible.
These are the shims needed to remove the pipe...
TALBOT MDPE 25mm Plastic Extractors (10 pairs)
They're definitely single-use. When I tried re-using them they didn't work. I smeared some sillicone grease on them, which enabled them to get in and do their thing.
I'd never heard of Talbot before I bought the shims. But I saw Talbot on the meter housing when I dug it out, so I guess that all or most meter housings are this brand.
The "grip ring" is the part that needs replacing, available here...
TALBOT 25mm Push Fit Spare Replacement Grip Ring - 1891
There's also an o-ring, part code 1862. It may make more sense to just buy any Talbot pushfit fitting and steal the grip ring and o-ring from this, if possible.
These are the shims needed to remove the pipe...
TALBOT MDPE 25mm Plastic Extractors (10 pairs)
They're definitely single-use. When I tried re-using them they didn't work. I smeared some sillicone grease on them, which enabled them to get in and do their thing.
I'd never heard of Talbot before I bought the shims. But I saw Talbot on the meter housing when I dug it out, so I guess that all or most meter housings are this brand.
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£4.36 including delivery!
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