replacing lead water mains with plastic no-goer

[sm_jamieson]

I enquired of Severn Trent about replacing my lead water mains with plastic, since building works make this the time to do it. It appears this aint gonna happen. There is a shared mains with one stopcock for 4 houses. They will fit a new connection direct to the mains on the public highway for free subject to a whole list of conditions, one of which is ensuring no dead legs are left. Judging from the position of the public stopcock, the branches to each house will be under the front drives, most of which are block paved. Since I am on the end of the 4 houses, this would involve digging up the neighbours garden or block paving to do this. Something they surely would not agree to. Oh well. Simon.

[Jim S]

I thought about it, but my old aunt lived here until she was 80. Now she is

87 and has better memory than me. I guess the 'gunk' on the inside of the pipe keeps the lead away. The house is 130 years old. I do use a jug filter, but that's mainly for the chlorine.

[sm_jamieson]

away foundations etc. Also narrowing of the bore, although water pressure and supply rate is find. A bloke came and tested water quality and apparently it was fine. Cheers, Simon.

[robgraham]

Experience says that lead cracking is certainly a concern. It happened to me both in the house and at the stopcock (toby in Scotland!) at different times and fortunately I was in the position that I could replace it all. I then had to help a friend who had the similar fate.

Rob

[Roger Mills]

Is it possible to do it with some sort of 'mole' machine without having to dig it up?

[Tim Southerwood]

Yes it is. My father's replacement main (water or gas, I can't remember) was laid like this. They still need to dig holes (typically one at each end, and extra ones at any points where the pipe will change direction), but it's less bad than an entire trench, and if you're lucky, one of the holes will be in the public pavement.

HTH

Tim

[sm_jamieson]

The problem is removing the dead leg (supply shared with 4 other houses after stopcock) that would be left from my neighbours house to mine. There will be a branch under her paved front garden one way to here house, t'other way to mine. I would have to remove this dead leg. This would involved digging up her garden. Simon.

[Tim Southerwood]

Ignore that - I'm tired and I lost the thread a bit.

[Roger Mills]

You wouldn't have to actually remove the pipe - but simply cap off your branch at your neighbour's end. If even that is unacceptable, how about leaving the branch in situ, feeding (say) just an outside tap for your property - and run a new plastic pipe for the 'proper' supply?

Alternatively, why not persuade *all* the affected neighbours that they ought to get rid of their lead pipes and install new plastic ones instead?