Lead water pipes.
Discussion
Evening all,
As part of a small decorating project we're considering replacing our lead water main since we have the floors up.
We've had Anglian Water round to test the lead content and are awaiting their results.
The only way to lay a new pipe is to mole about 20m under the garage and driveway up to the boundary.
Only problem is that the water meter is outside the boundary and we've been told that we're liable for the pipe right up to the meter which means digging up the footpath which means the costs increase exponentially.
As well as the health implications and the fact that the pipe is now 90 years old, I'm mindful that the safe limits are coming down all the time and its going to have to come out eventually, so I'd rather get it done beofre I start laying tiles etc....
Does anyone have any thoughts or experience regarding lead pipes?
Cheers
Dave
(Not the most interesting subject I know but I've got 12 hours to kill!)
As part of a small decorating project we're considering replacing our lead water main since we have the floors up.
We've had Anglian Water round to test the lead content and are awaiting their results.
The only way to lay a new pipe is to mole about 20m under the garage and driveway up to the boundary.
Only problem is that the water meter is outside the boundary and we've been told that we're liable for the pipe right up to the meter which means digging up the footpath which means the costs increase exponentially.
As well as the health implications and the fact that the pipe is now 90 years old, I'm mindful that the safe limits are coming down all the time and its going to have to come out eventually, so I'd rather get it done beofre I start laying tiles etc....
Does anyone have any thoughts or experience regarding lead pipes?
Cheers
Dave
(Not the most interesting subject I know but I've got 12 hours to kill!)
DJFish said:
... which means digging up the footpath which means the costs increase exponentially.
What kind of surface is it? Our footpaths are basically tarmaced but have been dug up all over the place to fit water meters and when the water main was renewed a few years ago. They've all been pretty roughly repaired.When the water meters are fitted the contractors just chop out a square where the stop cock is, fit the meter then fill it in and tarmac the surface. I've never timed them, but I would say it takes about 30mins.
Defcon5 said:
Could you just replace it at the point it enters the house?
That defeats the whole point, you'll still be getting 'leaded' mains up to that point. I did this years ago in Yorkshire and was only responsible for the mains to my boundary. I would double check with the water company. I also remember that it was free on their part due to health and safety or something, so I did all my side and it cost me next to nothing (I had the floors up at the time, which is how I discovered the lead mains) I had to leave enough MDPE to reach their connection which was only a few feet off my boundary.eta: can you not bring in a new mains which bypasses the garage in a standard trench and make a new internal connection? Might be cheaper.
Edited by Nuisance_Value on Tuesday 7th September 23:29
When we built an extension at home and moved the kitchen, we decided to replace the incoming water feed at the same time for the same reason.
Our meter is also outside the boundary, but I dug the path out myself and with a few "borrowed" traffic cones made the excavated area safe.
Took best part of a day for me (as an inexperienced road/highways worker) to do.
Three days later, my plumber came and changed ther pipes over at the meter, a man from the water company (at no cost) had a peek, and I filled the trench in again. Just made sure that after the muck went in, the right amount of sub-base went in and tamped down before a bag of tarmac from B&Q finished it off.
No problems, no subsequent "sinkage" and not particularly expensive.
If you dig the footpath yourself, just dig carefully! You never know what services you might uncover!
Our meter is also outside the boundary, but I dug the path out myself and with a few "borrowed" traffic cones made the excavated area safe.
Took best part of a day for me (as an inexperienced road/highways worker) to do.
Three days later, my plumber came and changed ther pipes over at the meter, a man from the water company (at no cost) had a peek, and I filled the trench in again. Just made sure that after the muck went in, the right amount of sub-base went in and tamped down before a bag of tarmac from B&Q finished it off.
No problems, no subsequent "sinkage" and not particularly expensive.
If you dig the footpath yourself, just dig carefully! You never know what services you might uncover!
Hi chaps,
thanks for the replies.
I can't really re-route the pipe as it has to go under concrete at some point so moling would be the only option.
The pipe also runs alongside the main drain and power supply and crosses the gas main and Internet cable in the footpath so not a simple job.
I was thinking about running a copper pipe inside the lead and that might remain an option.
It's really just because we have the floors up that I'm thinking about doing this, times change and like town gas, asbestos and heroin in your cough syrup, there are reasons why stuff gets phased out. Plus I knew a chap who had lead poisoning and he had ginger hair.
Will wait and see what the water test brings......
thanks for the replies.
I can't really re-route the pipe as it has to go under concrete at some point so moling would be the only option.
The pipe also runs alongside the main drain and power supply and crosses the gas main and Internet cable in the footpath so not a simple job.
I was thinking about running a copper pipe inside the lead and that might remain an option.
It's really just because we have the floors up that I'm thinking about doing this, times change and like town gas, asbestos and heroin in your cough syrup, there are reasons why stuff gets phased out. Plus I knew a chap who had lead poisoning and he had ginger hair.
Will wait and see what the water test brings......
Edited by DJFish on Wednesday 8th September 18:07
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