Can anyone identify this mains water pipe?

[RegB]

Our water stopped suddenly yesterday and I found the problem outside where the mains pipe to the house had detached from the external stopcock. Someone in the past had bodged it in with silicone or something. I want to repair it properly but not sure how because I can’t identify the type of mains pipe. It’s made of black plastic and seems to be about 18mm. I thought at first it was 15mm but it won’t fit 15mm fittings. The stopcock is 22mm. I’ve made a temporary repair to get the water on as shown in the photo (I forced a bit of 15mm pipe into the plastic pipe, secured with a jubilee clip, then into a reducer into the stopcock). Can anyone identify the black pipe and advise on how to connect it to the stopcock?

 

[undertrained]

Looks to me like the old black alkathene pipe, from memory it’s 22mm (hence the 22mm stopcock) but for an underground repair needs to be dzr brass or an underground plastic fitting.

Edit: there would have been a metal insert at some point, but if it's lost then you may need a new main running from stopcock to property. Also why is it on show?

 

[RegB]

Thanks for the reply UT. The pipe’s exposed because I excavated round it to find the leak. The alkathene idea is interesting. It’s definitely under 22mm though and doesn’t fit the stopcock. It was just shoved in and bunged up with silicone (I’m surprised it’s lasted 15 years!)

 

[JimCrow]

That looks like 1/2" alkathene, it will be marked on the pipe wall.

 

[RegB]

Thanks Jim. I can’t see anything on the pipe but I think you’re right about it being half inch. Do you know if there’s an adaptor I could use to join it to the stopcock, or is it too ancient?

 

[coopersim]

Lookup ‘philmac’ fittings.

 

[RegB]

Thanks. Good suggestion. I think their reducer 1143 might do the trick. It seems to fit a variety of different pipe diameters.