Replacing lead mains to MDPE

[AI Plumber]

I have read through all posts about lead mains replacement to MDPE.

To get my head round it can any plumbers give a guide to how it's done. I've seen parts of it done once as an apprentice.

In my case there is the drive way. So you'd dig up the drive way from the boundary stop valve to the entrance of the property. My mains stop valve I believe is somewhere close to the main door, underneath the floor boards, or underneath the staircase floor boards.

On the property side, its connected lead to copper so I connect it from copper to 25mm MDPE ? And then on the boundary stop valve side, is it the water board who come and connect that ?

The pipe must be 750-1350mm deep. And from the diagram below it shows that there needs to be a service duct before entering the property. What type of service duct can I use ? Is there any flexy type service duct and how do I seal both ends ?





Also would it increase the flow of mains supply ?

Thank you for reading and would much appreciate your replies.

 

[lame plumber]

dig yr hole, lay the pipe, check the connection at the meter/stop valve and buy a part to match, forget using copper do it onto the stopcock, buy some blue service duct and pull it through to the house and connect to your incoming side easy peasy, back fill with sand!!! over the mdpe or better still have it all in a duct so you arent digging it up in a few years time due to stone damage

 

[Joncpi]

Get it moled in. Unless you are External WIAPS you will have to dig the trench, make the ducted entry, and lay the pipe, then get the Water Board to inspect it, which can take days. They will replace any lead pipe on their side of their stopcock free of charge. When you backfill the trench you with have to fill it in layers with scalping and wack each layer with a trench wacker or your drive will sink along then trench line and you will be left with an ugly and possibly hazardous dip in your drive. By the time you have possibly paid for a digger or taken time off work, if not to dig the trench at least to wait in for the Water Board, paid for surplus removal, paid for scapling, paid for surface reinstatement. Also hiring a CAT scanner is essential as you are very likely to have gas and electric following a similar route to the water service. It is likely to be cheaper to get it moled in. Not to mention not being able to use your drive for several days, most service renewals are completed within one day unless very long. You could consider digging alongside your drive in grass or a border if you have one, it is not necessary for the new pipe to exactly follow the route of the old one or to enter the house at the same place as the old one if there is an easier place. You can buy a stopcock that goes from 25mm PE to either 15mm or 22mm copper for the internal end. You can buy 40 or 50mm blue or black corrugated ducting but not everywhere will sell a short say 1m length so you maybe having to buy 50m! Both are available at Plumb center also BES

 

[plumben]

You need to dig up the drive to 750mm-1350mm pour a layer of pea gravel in the bottom of the whole, lay your pipe, at the entrance to the property you need a 110mm soil pipe swept bend and piece of pipe, two bungs of the correct size and insulation,
Then wait for water boards inspection and them to connect over, back fill whole with pea gravel first then whatever you like and relay the drive