Lead pipe removal - proof for water company

[NRS]

A series of different plumbers have told me I have still have lead piping coming into the house. I have found some who does moleing and can replace the pipe that goes under my driveway into the house.

The water company want a photo of the lead pipe before they will change their part of the pipe.

The house was refurbed in the 70s and 00s so most of the piping inside the house is copper. So I can’t get a picture from inside the house. The pipe in the external stopcock is not visible as it’s covered in earth.

How do I take this photo?

As I write this, I’m wondering how the plumbers are so sure I have lead piping under the driveway given we can’t see it.

 

[mattylad]

Perhaps contact one of these plumbers that said you still have lead piping and ask them how so?

 

[CountryFan]

I would imagine they want to see the lead removed otherwise it's classed as a dead leg. Moling is fine but you still need the old removing

 

[ree]

OP,
Remove the soil covering the external stop-tap & photo the outlet pipe - then photo the inlet pipe to the internal shut-off. Post the photo's on here.
Utilities will replace lead service pipes for free but you have to dig the trench & prep the entry up into the house.

Poster #3,
With respect: utilities that I dealt with had no hard & fast rule about abandoning cut free at both ends, & left in the ground, lead water service pipes.
The pipe from the external shut-off is the householders responsibility after all.

 

[CountryFan]

Poster #3,
With respect: utilities that I dealt with had no hard & fast rule about abandoning cut free at both ends, & left in the ground, lead water service pipes.
The pipe from the external shut-off is the householders responsibility after all.

Apologies, I was automatically thinking (because it is lead) of it being branched off, which requires it being cut out to prevent dead leg

 

[Madrab]

Even if it's to be moled, 2 holes need to be dug, one at the output side of the toby and another at the end of the run where the pipe will then enter the property. So the first hole at the mains chamber can be dug down and the pipe exposed, showing the lead.

The question already asked though has to be answered. How could the plumbers know that you have lead unless they've seen it? Answer that before doing anything.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Will depend on where the external Stoptap is, outside the Boundary in the Public Highway, you cant dig there.

However, you would need to dig just inside the boundary to provide sufficient length of your new service pipe for the water Co. to connect onto, so I'd be looking for the existing service pipe at the same time.

As a matter of curiosity, what is the pipework made of coming into the property?

 

[denso13]

Utilities will replace lead service pipes for free

Mine won't. They won't replace their bit unless there is a certain level of lead dissolved in the water.