Building over our water supply pipe?

[noseall]

There's no isolation valve upstream of this pipe. It supplies our water meter and shut off tap.

Surely then the stop tap can be closed off outside the dig zone?
If not, you might need the water company input.

 

[Dereekoo]

Surely then the stop tap can be closed off outside the dig zone?
.

Yes it can, unfortunately its downstream of the dig zone

If not, you might need the water company input.

If he is going to build over their supply pipe he needs to talk to them or do it on the fly

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

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.

 

[stevie888]

Can you not freeze the pipe?

 

[blup]

Have you costed moling it?

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Have you costed moling it?

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.

 

[cdbe]

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.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

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.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

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.

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.

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.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

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.

 

[23vc]

Bend should be fine as they’re ducted up into the house within a 90 orange soil bend often..it’s more making sure you haven’t got excess length after swinging it. So to speak.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

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.