Blocked waste pipe - Inspection cover problem.

[Urbanbassman]

We have a problem with a downstairs bathroom toilet. When flushed, the water in the bowl rises, as does the water coming up from the shower drain. The water then drops quite quickly, accompanied by a rumbling, gurgling noise....

Suspecting a blockage in the soil pipe leading from the bathroom to the main house sewer, I removed the concrete cover of the inspection chamber in the back garden. To my surprise I was greeted with the sight of about 1ft of top soil! Digging this out revealed another inspection cover - but this one cannot be lifted. The concrete frame of top cover is larger than the lid of the lower cover, which is underneath! Anybody know what the hell is going on? The inspection chamber looks like it was installed when the house was built in 1974, but the downstairs bathroom was added in the 1990s...

Any help with the weird double inspection chamber, and the root cause of the problem would be appreciated!

 

[snowhead]

From the description it would seem like the ground level has been raised and a second cover fitted over the original Inspection chamber location, if so the one solution is to break / cut the lower cover out and if it isn't already, form solid sides to the gap between.

Or remove the upper cover and frame, to gain access to the lower cover

 

[PETE 123]

Go to the next access manhole and check that one then rod back you might get lucky.