During the course of excavating my garden, I have unearthed the water supply pipe. It was no where near the expected 750mm depth.
It's an old lead pipe and it is now slightly bent, but not leaking.
However, when I was running the water in the house, I had some brown water come through which quite frankly scared the crap out of me I'm hoping that I have just disturbed something and not caused damage.
Reading the water company website, any work on my property is my responsibility and cost. So, how easy is it to replace the old lead pipe from the stop tap on the pavement through to the point at which in enters my house with a blue MDPE pipe.
Or can a section of the old lead pipe be cut out and replaced with a new section of Blue pipe and can this be connected securely to the old lead pipe.
Run the nearest tap to the rising main into your house until it runs clear.
You have simply disturbed the internal crap build-up on the inside of the pipe.
Myself I wouldn't have a lead service pipe, I'd be doing the same as you propose - I might be talking rubbish but don't the water companies have a lead service pipe replacement programme??
How handy are you with an excavator etc etc?
RW Gale Ltd - Civils & Surfacing Contractors based in Somerset
The water company does have a lead pipe replacement scheme, but they are only responsible for the pipework up to the property boundary. As this is in my front garden, they would charge me to replace it.
Dig a trench 750mm deep and run a 25/30mm MDPE pipe and connect to the meter tail and into the house.
Well thats what I did years ago!
You could cut the digger-damaged bit out and repair it with a bit of plastic pipe and a couple of plasson adaptors but if the water pressure and flow rate is unchanged you won't see any benefit.
If it were me I'd lay in a new pipe as above.
RW Gale Ltd - Civils & Surfacing Contractors based in Somerset
Its a simple enough job connecting your new pipework up to the lead, we tend to use these connections up in the grim north http://www.philmac.co.uk/products/, gone are the days when we had to file the lead down to get a brass olive to fit prior to connecting the brass fittings.
However i would always take it through to your internal riser or stop tap.
If you don`t fancy digging it all up there are plenty of pipe moling companies around, in fact there`s one based just outside Arrow Park Hospital, Mr Mole or something along them lines
get the water board to come out and replace the bit between meter/pavement stopcock and your boundary under there lead replacement programme, the 3 ft of blue pipe they attach to you lead run will be easy to connect to then.
have the trench dug across your property and the blue pipe handy, if you are there when they turn to do there little bit, ££ notes may talk and they may do the job for you if not they may know one of the crews that do moonlight!! :;):
I'm hoping that I have just disturbed something and not caused damage.
