Water Main at entrance to site

mike_2009

I was digging a hole for a fence post (new site boundary) and discovered two 4 inch/100mm pipes stacked on top of each other 20cm below the surface. There is a fire hydrant about a meter away and this appears to be the mains supply for the estate. I have the Irish Water map but there's no sign of it traversing there. It traverses the front of the site from observation and due to it's shallowness I'm concerned about plant/machinery cracking the pipes as they move around during construction of my house.

Any advice regarding this people could offer would be appreciated. I've been onto Irish Water and Council, got passed around a bit. They will look into updating the service map but I'll have to figure out how to protect the pipes which should be 600mm->1.2m below the surface according to IW's standard codes of practice, not 20cm.

Anyway, open to ideas / advice. Thank you!

The Continental Op

I'd push back hard against IW. Really not your problem that the pipes are too shallow. There was something vaguely similar near here where a digger clipped an old 18 inch water main (long story). Anyway the end result was IW fixed it for free.

muffler

Not your responsibility I'd think. However I would suggest you give them written notice of your intention to build and include maps / sketches together with written description of the issue and advise that you will not bear any responsibility for potential damage to the pipes. If IW is concerned then they have been given notice and time to remedy the situation.

mike_2009

Thanks - tried a stethoscope and there is no sound of water from either pipe. A builder who visited commented the last time he saw this it has a communications cable held inside it for protection. Might be an old Cablelink / Eircom phone cable perhaps (best case). I'll see what the powers that be make of it - at least it's looking less likely to be an issue - thanks for the advice!

The Continental Op

Look around any telegraph poles? If not then that cable may still be in use. Never know eir to run new cable if an old one would do.

mike_2009

There is broadband in the estate, I have Eir at the minute and they have a license to use the Virgin Media cable shores, ran new cable into the estate a few months ago. That come from the other side of the estate and I've Eir Broadband (fibre) currently, long saga about tree roots blocking the final run to my house sorted after 2 year! Anyway, don't think it's that. I did find a coax cablelink cable heading off from the front of the house in the same direction so maybe the pipe carries some of these from the other houses? Anyway, one of the few times Eir spent money!!

mike_2009

So, found a THIRD pipe after bore scoping the two pipes and determining they were empty. I cut away the first and the new pipe was behind it. This pipe DID have a 3cm diameter cable inside it. Called ESB Emergency Line and they called out and confirmed it's a disconnected spur (three phase cable). Glad I called them! Now I know where the mains is for my new build and I can get 3 phase if I want it!