In my garden I have a manhole over a *public* sewer, 2 metres deep, brick lined with little rungs to climb down. I would like to move the manhole cover a bit lower (say 1 brick) so I can lay a patio over. Obviously I will be maintaining access - maybe removable loose pavers over the official cover. Can I do this myself ? I'm not sure how the cover surround is installed yet, but I can easily have a look ! Cheers, Simon.
If it's a public sewer maintained by a local water company, I would expect the responsibilities associated with it to be described in the deeds to your property. You probably need to negotiate with them. "Loosing" the cover - even under a layer of loose bricks may breach a restrictive covenant.
I've seen decking done with a hatch for access to this sort of thing. Is that not an option?
On 24 May 2007 03:03:03 -0700, sm_jamieson mused:
I'd imagine that if it requires access then burying it under the patio will not be suitable, however loose the slabs are. I'd get a block paving type manhole cover fitted so can pave over it but still lift it.
It's the bricks that are going to be loose. The weight of them should keep the cover from coming loose.
MBQ
I think that the principle that 'if you don't ask for permission they can't refuse' is a good one! I would just do it - and have in fact done so - raising one by one course and lowering another by a course, to make them line up with other features.
I wouldn't do anything which restricted access, though. I think that Lurch's solution of replacing the cover with one which has a built-in recess for flush paving is the way to go. You probably don't need anything as strong as the original - water boards seem to have a policy of using heavy-duty 'highway-type' covers on everything even when the highest load it will carry is a wheelbarrow!
I know these type of block paving covers are done all the time, but I wasn't sure about altering the cover of the public sewer manhole. Also, this manhole seems a little bigger than the usual paving-inset types you see. But this is probably the way to will go. It will also reduce the trickling-type noises that emminate from under the cover when nearby folks flush. Cheers, Simon.
My experience with this sort of thing - mainly with BT but alos with other 'oficail' type bodies, is that if you do a sound workmanlike job that doesn't interfere with what has to be done unduly, no one who visits the manhole cover will feel any urge to report that it has been modified.
Contariwise, if you dump a ton of topsoil on it and plant leylandii then the next time they come,. you will indeed end up with a huge bill to pay and a court case.
IANAL but IIRC the essence of these wayleaves is the "right to have access to, for purposes of"...etc etc. If that right is not physically impaired, they haven;t much to complian of, and as far as modding ther kit goes? who knows what it USED to look like anyway. "always been like that mate..ever since I bin here"
The message from sm_jamieson contains these words:
Are you sure it is a public sewer? It could be a shared private sewer.
Yep, had get nearby extension approved by Severn Trent because of this fact. I hope the manhole in my garden will get me a cheaper camera survey ! Simon.
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