Sewage pipe

leon103

We recently bought a new house.

The house is on a large plot. Under some of the garden is a sewage pipe that run from neighbouring houses. Our waste meets this pipe at the bottom of the garden.

Am I right that our water provider (welsh water) own the part that comes from neighbouring properties.

I noticed today that the pipe from neighbouring properties is less than 2 inches below ground. Shouldn't this be a lot lower? Should welsh water being responsible for putting this lower into the ground?

Davesnave

You are correct in thinking Welsh Water will be responsible for the parts of a mains underground drainage system that are shared.

You're also right in thinking that these drains would normally run at a sufficient depth not to be disturbed by garden cultivation or heavy frosts.

The question that occurs to me is whether there's a chance that soil levels have been lowered in your garden at some time.


Logic suggests that your own drain must be at a similar level, so if the main drain were buried deeper, that would affect it too.

I would speak to neighbours before contacting Welsh Water on this matter, to ascertain details of the site's history and whether there have been any problems in the past.

Having a public utility at a shallow depth isn't such a great problem if one knows where it is. For example, I have a public water main running through a field; it's below the frost line, but not below the depth that gateposts are rammed in, so I had to change a fence line slightly to miss it. It's not quite where CON29D (the drainage search) says it is. I think you hould have had a similar search included when you purchased.

Furts

Welsh Water are unlikely to have put the pipe at that depth, unlikley to have ever asked for that pipe to be installed and may not know what depth the pipe is.

Pipes get laid by builders and developers, Welsh Water then inherit these. There are countless pipes where Welsh Water will not have details. Yours might be one of these.


You might find it is impossible to lower the pipe, and even if lowering was possible why should Welsh Water incur costs doing this?

The likely scenario is things remain as they are, and you have to be very careful to keep away from the pipe and avoid damaging it.

leon103

Davesnave wrote: »

You are correct in thinking Welsh Water will be responsible for the parts of a mains underground drainage system that are shared.

You're also right in thinking that these drains would normally run at a sufficient depth not to be disturbed by garden cultivation or heavy frosts.

The question that occurs to me is whether there's a chance that soil levels have been lowered in your garden at some time.


Logic suggests that your own drain must be at a similar level, so if the main drain were buried deeper, that would affect it too.

I would speak to neighbours before contacting Welsh Water on this matter, to ascertain details of the site's history and whether there have been any problems in the past.

Having a public utility at a shallow depth isn't such a great problem if one knows where it is. For example, I have a public water main running through a field; it's below the frost line, but not below the depth that gateposts are rammed in, so I had to change a fence line slightly to miss it. It's not quite where CON29D (the drainage search) says it is. I think you hould have had a similar search included when you purchased.

We have been a neighbour of the previous owners for over 10 years and the garden hasn't been lowered in that time. The plot was part of the bunglouw next door. There are mature trees etc in the garden which suggests the garden hasn't changed much since its original deisgn

Robin9

Is this actually a "live" pipe ie one that is actually in use ?

My garden had several pipes that had been discarded by the builders.

leon103

Robin9 wrote: »

Is this actually a "live" pipe ie one that is actually in use ?

My garden had several pipes that had been discarded by the builders.

It's in use. And appeared on the searches produced by solicitor

Furts

leon103 wrote: »

It's in use. And appeared on the searches produced by solicitor

If it is a clay or plastic pipe then two inches cover is nowhere near meeting any accepted standards. Downright risky! But the next question would be who created this, why did it happen, and who pays to change anything?


In fairness to Welsh Water your scenario could be one they had to adopt in recent years. They may not have wanted to, but they had no choice. This has meant adopting much dodgy and bodged work.

If it is a modern steel pipe then water authorities can auhorise designs with minimal depth in the ground.


Every situation depends on many factors. So without seeing the situation there is not a defnite answer.

leon103

Furts wrote: »

If it is a clay or plastic pipe then two inches cover is nowhere near meeting any accepted standards. Downright risky! But the next question would be who created this, why did it happen, and who pays to change anything?


In fairness to Welsh Water your scenario could be one they had to adopt in recent years. They may not have wanted to, but they had no choice. This has meant adopting much dodgy and bodged work.

If it is a modern steel pipe then water authorities can auhorise designs with minimal depth in the ground.


Every situation depends on many factors. So without seeing the situation there is not a defnite answer.

It's an orange plastic pipe. Will ring them tomorrow and see their response

Robin9

leon103 wrote: »

It's an orange plastic pipe. Will ring them tomorrow and see their response

I'm sure that's water drainage not sewer. That's what I had in my garden abandoned by the builder - there had been three different builders on my estate and they all had a go at laying drains.

As its exposed - dig along the length until you find a joint.