Trench filling with water

[xdrive]

Hi. I've had trench dug out for single storey rear extension.

Water is filling trench up. It seems to be ground water. What's best way to deal with this? Had 1 foot of water over 24hrs for 4x5m trench.

Also sewer pipe is cracked underneath and is slowly dripping.

 

[Ian H]

That’s a lot of water. You would need to dig a corner out deeper and put a pump in.

 

[KenGMac]

xdrive, good evening.

A couple of things?

The pipe may be leaking at a faster rate than a drip now and again?? can you discharge a load of water into the pipe and see what happens? it will need to be repaired???


Second thing, it appears on your image No 1 that there is a layer of what looks like DPM ?? could be that the DPM is catching a load of water over a fairly large area and dumping it into the trench??

Ken.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Also, get some drain dye and put in your toilet cistern and see if the water changes colour and how soon:

https://www.toolstation.com/drain-t...MIsryA25T16AIVxeN3Ch1QYA7REAYYASABEgJsyvD_BwE

Andy

 

[xdrive]

Hi. Yes there was a patio area there. About the "dpc" it was topped up with hard core. The water is coming out from below the dpc sheet below pipe. It's on the inside part of trench.

It can't be toilet water since there is no bathroom for last 6 months. Also water has not been on for 6 months.

The trench was only dug out yesterday. The water is pretty clean, doesn't smell, so don't think it's soil water. That pipe is a public sewer. It runs from neighbour property to mine then to neighbour lower down.

 

[HERTS P&D]

So, its a leaking sewer pipe from your neighbour?

Andy

 

[bobasd]

OP,
First thing is to fix the leaking pipe - so wash clean the exposed pipe and determine the cause or causes of the leak. Search for other cracks, & then fix the pipe. Do you know how?

At the moment, where the leak water is coming from is irrelevant.
If you were leaking sewage you would typically smell it from a distance.
Are you on a hillside?
Is your water service pipe etc sound?

After fixing the drainage you could, as suggested above, pump out. Or bail out.
Was the water there when you dug down or did it "suddenly" appear over a short period?

fwiw but not mentioned so far is do you have permission to build over this drainage? Depending on the circumstances, some Utilities & some BCO's can get pretty hot about overbuilding.

KenGMac, well spotted ref the plastic, I wonder if this house & garden are on made up ground? why is it even there?

 

[xdrive]

Thanks for replies. Not sure about repairing the pipe. It only drips sometimes. And it's quite slow. There is a small crack underneath collar. How would you repair this?

I have build over agreement. Also need bco to come out but ideally want to sort water problem out first.

The water built up over time. It is constant flow. The source is about 10cm to 15cm below the pipe where arrow is in photo.

Don't understand about house being on made up ground. It's 1930s build. But garden could have been raised up. 5 metres away from back wall is a 700mm drop as garden was tiered.

Pink is where water is coming out from.
House is on a slope.

 

[bobasd]

If you have not had BCO out already then stop work, and get some one out to check what you are doing?

Dont attempt a repair - replace it. A small re-leak over a period could wash away part of your foundation.
Use a large angle grinder to cut the pipe say 300mm either side of the hub, and two flexible rubber pipe connectors (no-hub fittings) to tie-in a length of clay or plastic same ID pipe.
A plumber would make short work of the job - & sewage is considered an urgent repair.

Any terms you dont understand then google them.

Just seen your earlier pic/post: and you are on made up ground ("garden raised up" means its made up) - not good news for an extension unless you dig deep, which would be difficult slap bang next to another foundation/extension?
And you are receiving more ground water than usual because of the hillside site.

 

[xdrive]

The chap who did digging dug until he reached good clay. We are about 600-800mm below house foundations but can double check. Trench is about 1.2m to 1.4m deep.

A friend of mine did same repair to his pipe so that should be fairly straightforward to repair.

The neighbour has conservatory but had her foundations done also which are only 400mm and her ground is same like mine.

I'm hoping the water will eventually stop?

 

[noseall]

Trench is about 1.2m to 1.4m deep.

What's stopping your neighbours building from collapsing into the trench?

 

[mikeey84]

Do your or your neighbor have a water meter? Might be a leak from their/your supply pipe?

Is your water turned off at the roadside or in the house?

We had a leak like that, and there was no sign until we got below a certain level, and then it poured into the hole.

 

[xdrive]

What's stopping your neighbours building from collapsing into the trench?

Probably Luck

Do your or your neighbor have a water meter? Might be a leak from their/your supply pipe?

Is your water turned off at the roadside or in the house?

We had a leak like that, and there was no sign until we got below a certain level, and then it poured into the hole.

Water turned off in house. Not on water meter.

I will turn off outside see if it stops. Was your leak from mains supply?

 

[xdrive]

Yorkshire water been out and still no luck. Cant find water stoptap on street.

No chlorine in water. Thinking could be ground water.

BCO been out. Wants it further investigating.

 

[mikeey84]

Probably Luck


Water turned off in house. Not on water meter.

I will turn off outside see if it stops. Was your leak from mains supply?

Mine was from the supply pipe, which was the original cast iron, and looked like swiss cheese when it was dug up.

With chlorine, seems like yours isn't the same issue. Maybe a spring?