Regulations for fitting new water main from meter to house

[JimUK]

Hi,

I'm having some issues with my current water main leaking. We had an extension put onto our house back in 2013, during which we moved our kitchen into the extension on the opposite side of the house.

The stop tap was positioned in what would become the middle of our lounge, so the plumber had to move it. The problem is he connected the lead 15mm pipe already in the house to a new plastic pipe with push fit connectors, which was then encased in concrete as the screed was laid after the plumber had finished.

Sitting in the lounge we noticed about a week ago a high pitch water noise coming from the wall, so this weekend i've been digging the pipe out to investigate. And after exposing the pipe as much as possible (as removing a few bricks) it turns out the pipe goes from the water meter, down to about 750mm where it enters a clay protection sleeve and appears to rise at a 45degree angle to the position in the lounge where the stop tap used to be, roughly a meter inside the property.

So, my choice is either i cut into the lounge floor to try and expose the pipe without causing any further damage, or I run a new pipe around the edge of the house to where the kitchen sink is and create a new stop tap position there.

I'm currently thinking of going for the second option, as this should eliminate any future issues with the pipe being so inaccessible. However I don't know what the regulations are for installing your own pipe beyond the water meter.

The plan at the moment is to purchase a trench spade and enough blue MDPE pipe to run around the house. Digging a trench approx. 750mm deep, with 350mm clearance from other utilities i run across on the way (should only be gas and drainage on the way, which I know the positions of).

Will I need to get a qualified plumber to sign off my work once i'm done?

Thanks

Jim

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Is it still a lead supply coming off the meter/external road stop tap to where the existing stop tap was ?

 

[gpbeck]

When I did this Severn Trent offered free connection if replacing a lead main (a BIG saving). So dig a trench to rules, lay pipe on a bed of sand, water company inspect your work, you then cover pipe in sand and back fill and they arrange connection at the stop tap. So contact your utility company and you’re away.

 

[JimUK]

Between the water meter and the house i believe so yes. Just realising how bad this is! Will be digging my trench for the new pipe starting tomorrow

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Best time to replace the whole lot then there won’t be any joints under ground except for the meter connection

 

[JimUK]

OK so my plan for tomorrow will be purchase 25m of 20mm MDPE, some FloPlast MDPE elbows, as i won't be able to run one continuous pipe, but do I need to run the pipe within a duct?

Also am I actually allowed to install this myself? Feel like i'll do a much better job than the plumber hired by my builder at least! (he made mistakes such as getting hot and cold water connections to shower mixed up, after asking me to explain to him how the shower valve I'd purchased worked)

 

[gpbeck]

Temporary bypass in the house using flexible pipe and a lead lock?

 

[exedon2]

If you don't fancy digging a big hole in the house installing a duct tunneling out normally under footings there is a way round!
Have a look at insuduct passes all regulations and saves no end of making good