Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:21 pm
I am planning to replace my existing clay pipe house drainage pipework with PVC. Having searched this excellent website and previous forum posts I could not see answers to my specific problem. Hence this post seeking advice on two issues:
1) Where is the ownership demarcation line at manhole on public sewer running across my garden
2) how do I connect the new replacement PVC pipe to existing clay branch pipe at the manhole if water authority won’t replace it with PVC
My house, drainage and sewer were all built mid 1950’s. Pipes are socket and spigot glazed clay. They connect to the main sewer via a clay branch pipe passing through 9� thick brick wall of manhole chamber, connecting directly to the channel junction of the 6� combined storm and foul public sewer.
This public sewer runs across the back gardens of adjacent houses, i.e. in private land rather than public highway. I know the water authority owns the main sewer and manhole, but where exactly does the pipework become mine. Is it outside the manhole at inlet to the branch pipe before it passes into the manhole chamber wall? If water authorities own this branch pipe do they ever replace (at houseowners request) the existing clay pipe with PVC at their cost (am I living in dreamland)?
My problem is how to reconnect new PVC to existing clay branch pipe because where it emerges directly outside the manhole wall, the concrete base is approx. level with centreline/waistline of branch pipe. So the bottom half of the pipe and socket are both inaccessible for direct connection of 110mm PVC using external adaptor couplings.
As mechanical attempts to remove concrete risk damaging pipe do you know whether using strong brick acid to soften and remove concrete from around underside of clay pipe to create space for the adaptor coupling is feasible? What other possible options are there?
I presume the ultimate solution is removal of existing clay branch pipe and replacement with a new PVC branch pipe.
I’m in the Severn Trent Water area, do they ever undertake such work? I would be grateful for comments and advice from any experienced helpers out there.
Thanks in anticipation.
1) Where is the ownership demarcation line at manhole on public sewer running across my garden
2) how do I connect the new replacement PVC pipe to existing clay branch pipe at the manhole if water authority won’t replace it with PVC
My house, drainage and sewer were all built mid 1950’s. Pipes are socket and spigot glazed clay. They connect to the main sewer via a clay branch pipe passing through 9� thick brick wall of manhole chamber, connecting directly to the channel junction of the 6� combined storm and foul public sewer.
This public sewer runs across the back gardens of adjacent houses, i.e. in private land rather than public highway. I know the water authority owns the main sewer and manhole, but where exactly does the pipework become mine. Is it outside the manhole at inlet to the branch pipe before it passes into the manhole chamber wall? If water authorities own this branch pipe do they ever replace (at houseowners request) the existing clay pipe with PVC at their cost (am I living in dreamland)?
My problem is how to reconnect new PVC to existing clay branch pipe because where it emerges directly outside the manhole wall, the concrete base is approx. level with centreline/waistline of branch pipe. So the bottom half of the pipe and socket are both inaccessible for direct connection of 110mm PVC using external adaptor couplings.
As mechanical attempts to remove concrete risk damaging pipe do you know whether using strong brick acid to soften and remove concrete from around underside of clay pipe to create space for the adaptor coupling is feasible? What other possible options are there?
I presume the ultimate solution is removal of existing clay branch pipe and replacement with a new PVC branch pipe.
I’m in the Severn Trent Water area, do they ever undertake such work? I would be grateful for comments and advice from any experienced helpers out there.
Thanks in anticipation.