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3"clay water supply

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toucan

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I've been asked to try and sort this mess. 3"clay gravity water supply from stream/spring to two houses on edge of Bodmin Moor. It is about 12-16" below surface. Who ever did this repair dug a trench down slope to allow water to run off. White area is clear silicone. It is still leaking slightly. No one knows where the source is so I can't shut off supply to make proper repair. I could take a chance and go swimming while I try and square cut pipes each side and fit new 75mm insert with rubber couplings. Any suggestions on cutting clay in wet conditions. chain cutter -will this work on small bore clay. Is it possible to adapt a cordless and make it waterproof. Not something I've done before. Alternatively I'm thinking of wrapping existing repair with Fernco water activated resin pipe wrap. Has anyone used this kind of repair tape before. I'm assuming it may not work without stopping leak temporarily.
My reservation with this is it may harbour bacteria.
 

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toucan said:
I've been asked to try and sort this mess. 3"clay gravity water supply from stream/spring to two houses on edge of Bodmin Moor. It is about 12-16" below surface. Who ever did this repair dug a trench down slope to allow water to run off. White area is clear silicone. It is still leaking slightly. No one knows where the source is so I can't shut off supply to make proper repair. I could take a chance and go swimming while I try and square cut pipes each side and fit new 75mm insert with rubber couplings. Any suggestions on cutting clay in wet conditions. chain cutter -will this work on small bore clay. Is it possible to adapt a cordless and make it waterproof. Not something I've done before. Alternatively I'm thinking of wrapping existing repair with Fernco water activated resin pipe wrap. Has anyone used this kind of repair tape before. I'm assuming it may not work without stopping leak temporarily.
My reservation with this is it may harbour bacteria.
Click to expand...
Ok Toucan, I really think you need to step back and inform us much more. I cannot make out what you are refering to ...
3 inch water supply in clay thats nuts. If you are really dealing with a drinking water supply even if its off the main but a common one
South West Water utility are happy to take over. Look I know its a bit wacky in North Cornwall .esp on the Moor
.I have two places there , love it BUT DO
Not play with drinking water supply if you do not know what you are upto.....I might be in the Masons at Camelford very soon...miss
Jo Old she is a star ....centralheatking keep in touch if you like
 
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Are you certain it's clay and not some other material?
Does that pipe discharge into a storage tank and is there any water filters / treatment at the houses?
Or is the tank at the stream end?

I think you'll be over your waders if you cut it without slowing the flow down.
You or someone needs to find the source.

Obviously everyone realises the whole length of pipe from source to houses should really be replaced.
 
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toucan said:
I've been asked to try and sort this mess. 3"clay gravity water supply from stream/spring to two houses on edge of Bodmin Moor. It is about 12-16" below surface. Who ever did this repair dug a trench down slope to allow water to run off. White area is clear silicone. It is still leaking slightly. No one knows where the source is so I can't shut off supply to make proper repair. I could take a chance and go swimming while I try and square cut pipes each side and fit new 75mm insert with rubber couplings. Any suggestions on cutting clay in wet conditions. chain cutter -will this work on small bore clay. Is it possible to adapt a cordless and make it waterproof. Not something I've done before. Alternatively I'm thinking of wrapping existing repair with Fernco water activated resin pipe wrap. Has anyone used this kind of repair tape before. I'm assuming it may not work without stopping leak temporarily.
My reservation with this is it may harbour bacteria.
Click to expand...

I, like @snowhead wondered if it could be something else?
It is not easy to identify off a photo. Could it be asbestos?
 
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look how much that fernco has expanded theres some pressure behind that

also looks like youve cut through an armored cable (swa)
 
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I’m not saying this can’t be done, I’m a true believer in ‘anything is possible’ but I would look more into finding the source to shut it down!
There will be some method of stopping or at least reducing the flow through it. I know you have asked the end users but have you asked water authority in that area? Just to see if they do know anything about it.
 
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Looks like pitch fibber / asbestos cement pipe to me, I would suggest getting an accurate measurement of the diameter and if within range go for something like these.

HandiRange - Viking Johnson

Viking Johnson design and manufacture of couplings, flange adaptors, pipe connections, repair and flow control products, and shouldered and expansion joints for international water and gas markets.
www.vikingjohnson.com
 
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Morning, thanks for all your thoughts.

Its not steel/cast. It seems quite soft and scratchable so youre right centralheatking – not clay. So asbestos cement seems to be only option left - not something I had heard of (water supply pipes). I cant find any reference to pitch fibre being used for anything other then drainage.
I’m not going to touch it until I find out more and see if source can be found. There is a holding tank near the house but I cant see any sign of any filtration. It all seems to work but clearly not to todays standards.
Damage was caused by small domestic wind turbine work.
Thanks again
 
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As its a gravity source running into the pipe there is very little pressure on the pipe, hence why whatever soft material it is, has been used.
It's more of a drain than supply pipe.
It's the volume of water that's going to be the problem in a repair and if it is soft pipe then there's a risk of it cracking when a new repair is done.

Looks like whoever dug to put the cable in may have done the original damage.
 
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Do you know what the damage to it was?
How did they get the Fernco onto the pipe I think they must have cut it & wrapped it around.
That is why I suggested the repair couplings as you don't need a cut, these are used all the time on the water mains & suit all materials & sizes.
 
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That pipe could be an asbestos cement pipe which as standard were painted with black bitumen. There was lots of small diameter pipes asbestos cement pipes imported from Ireland which contained blue chyrsotile. Common sense applies so please do not use a still saw just in case it is what I think it might be.
I am not saying what you should do but we used to cut up these pipes under water using a hand saw so as not to create any dust and provided the fibres cannot get airborne they cannot get in your lungs. In 1981 I was responsible for identifying all of the old chrysotile pipes prior to removal from Anglian Waters depots in 1981.
 
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Chris The damage was caused by trenching a domestic wind turbine cable. Those repair couplings look good but I'll need to find the source and shut off supply before doing any work.
Thanks Alan, I'm assuming it contains asbestos and am going to get a sample tested.
 
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They can be done live and often are if you don't mind getting a bit wet. 😄.
Dig out along side it so who have some working room, put it on the pipe loose remove to old rubber & silicone crap then slide the new one oner the damaged area & tighten it up. A job to be done soon before it turns cold.
 
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Finding the source is critical and after establishing where it is from
Then if you are happy, fit a valve ..of whatever kind is required.
Then you can work beyond it. I have 2 thoughts
1. Rip the whole issue out and up grade to proper standards inc whatever filters are required
2. The installation of a wind turbine cable...surely this outfit is culpable
and why were they on this land without permission ?
Often these green outfits are cash rich and a nice approach might end up with the whole thing being paid for ...'without predudice' which means they pay but deny responsibility .
If you want to pm me I will help you and nail them down ..this is an area
my wife and I have practical exp...she is a barrister exp now in water law because she met me. over to you
centralheatking
 
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Morning, CHK
Cant access your pm details. Have been away hence delayed response. I will be going there tomorrow. I'll find out more about how client is thinking. Renewing would be a major undertaking with pipe running hundreds of metres across bracken covered hillside. I might be able to wonder up and see if I can find any signs of source. The wind turbine is hers on her land.
Thanks for your suggestions
 
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My Son owns an old hill farm in Northumberland with a spring sourced water supply.
It's 750 mtrs(ish) from the house up a bit of a hill on adjacent common land.

We only tracked it down when someone local who was born in the house said walk up the hill on the righthand side of the gulley and you'll find it..

Photo of hill and what the source looks like on the ground,


Farm Spring Location.png


IMG_1451.JPG
 
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The pipe from the chamber to the nearby 2500ltr storage tank is 32mmMDPE.
The tank is 2/3rd buried, top is visible in the picture, farmhouse in the distance.
White pipe to the right of the tank is the overflow back into the gulley.
Then the 750mtr run to the house is 32mm mdpe.

There are filters at the house, but weren't any when Son bought it 10years ago.

IMG_1453.JPG
 
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