Separating & repairing a shared lead supply

[DynamiteMatt]

So looking for guidance and expearience of others who have done similar things.

We are renovating a mid terrace victorian property got to the bathroom/kitchen stage and having all lead water pipes which looked like they are originals decided we may as well separate from the shared supply while replacing all our pipes. Called out wessex water who were great and said all their work they would do for free and all I had to do was a small trench at the front to bring it in and dig down to the shared supply ready to be cut off from the tee which they said ran from the stoptap directly infront of my door to my kitchen and then fed one neighbour.

Now the fun started breaking the kitchen concrete slab (suspended floors everywhere else) I hit a lead water pipe in the top 50mm of screed no where near where it came out of the floor after the water was turned off further excavation revealed it ran accross my kitchen coming from one neighbour to me with me coming off for the kitchen and another for the old wc and on to the next neighbour.

So after a mad panic cutting out a section of lead and replacing with mdpe, numerous trips to try and appease increasingly irate immediate neighbours and finding out we cut water to it seems half our street its atleast temporarily fixed and dry so we can press on with our new supply.

Once I have my water sorted im going to have to make a permanent fix to the shared supply although I wont be on it any more. Now it runs from under my party wall across the kitchen no more than 50mm down to the other wall where it comes up slightly above the ground and tees into the wall where I assume it dives down under our patio to next door.
Has anyone had any luck with a water company moving a shared supply?
If I do have to sort this myself as Im pretty sure I will do you think I should go through the slab under the screed and bury it deeper or could I put a lid over the new pipe?
Im gonna have to take a chunk of the wall out to attach a fitting to the lead and once im off the shared its just gonna be a straight lengh of MDPE but how deep I really dont want to break underneath the pipe,

Thank you for taking the time to read all of that.

Matt

A picture helps so here you go please ignore the tap in the middle that needs to come out.

 

[Agile]

You seem to be doing a lot of water supplies without much knowledge of the Water Regulations!

Any pipework inside a house should be accessible ( although that can be by putting it in a duct so it can be withdrawn ).

At the very least you will need your pipework inspected by the Water Supplier!

Tony

 

[DynamiteMatt]

Thanks Tony,

The water company will be back for my trench inspection at the front of the house and I fully intend to drag him in to see this and repair to his instruction.

His attitude towards the shared pipe was very much that it is not their responsibility but he was sure where it was (which it wasn't) surely they at least know who shares a stop tap in the street? he said it was me and one neighbour.

My work on the pipe is very much a emergency temporary repair but I do work in a builders merchant so did have a plumber giving guidance who will also be carrying out some of the work, I will be running the new pipe into the house 750mm down then insulated and ducted to its new location under the floor (not the solid kitchen floor!) and he will connect it all up with the water company.

 

[Agile]

Unlike gas work, you can do water supply installation but it does need to comply with the water regulations.

It also should either be done by a water reg approved plumber or inspected by the Water Supplier.

They don't really have any involvement with private mains although they have a kind of responsibility to ensure that all pipework and fittings they supply to meet the regulations.

Tony