New water mains (500m) in Scotland - advice please

[flygod]

Hi,

Building a new private house on an airfield. Building control want a fire hydrant (90mm supply) for the house and I will, of course, need a mains supply for the house too.

Scottish Water's mains is about 500m away. Fire hydrant needs to be within 100m of house.

Can I run the one pipe for hydrant and house supply? Would I run 90mm all the way, or would it be 90mm to hydrant and then 90m of 50mm say to give a good flow and pressure to the 4-bed house?

Can I dig the trench myself and put the pipe in and just get a "self-lay" company to deal with the connection with Scottish Water, or do they have to do the whole job so SW can inspect etc?

As you can appreciate, 500m of pipe is a lot of cash!

ps. I own all the land - it is my airfield!

(But as they say, how do you make a small fortune in aviation - start with a BIG one!)

Thanks in advance for all your help and advice

 

[dcawkwell]

You just need to run the big bore pipe to the hydrant.
You can then tap off for the house.

They may be paranoid (usual in this country) and insist you run
separate pipes for the hydrant and the house. Though nothing
stopping you putting them in the same trench.

The water company will then connect up from your pipe to their main.
All you need to do is dig the trench and unroll the pipe. A jcb should do
it in a day or two.

The house will be fine with a 32mm supply pipe.

 

[DeltaT2]

400M of 90mm pipe is a serious amount of money??
Why not ask Scottish Water if they'd reconsider the Hydrant if you fit a Sprinkler system in your new home? Much better & safer than waiting for a Fire Engine.

 

[flygod]

It is the Fire Brigade and building regs that want the hydrant, or a sprinkler system or a 45,000l water tank.

Sprinkler system is a bit on the expensive and complex side - and requires a decent sized tank in the house to feed it too.

We have to put a water supply in anyway, so trench needs dug.

45k tank has its own problems too - just go down a metre or so and it is rock!

So, hydrant - and would be nice to use same pipe for house and get decent flow/pressure.

But one company has told us Scottish Water want the whole thing done by an approved "self lay" company - rather than me as a private individual.

Just not sure if that was the SL Co wanting the business.

SW's web info not really too clear.

 

[JohnD]

by chance, I have a fire hydrant outside my house, it's off the same pipe that supplies the tap water, and my house stop-cock is right next to it.

I think I'm at the end of the pipe, the fire brigade come and test it from time to time, and rusty water comes out at first. I keep it clean and painted, and dig out mud and gravel from the pit, the firemen sometimes suspect I have a swimming pool, but if I ever get a fire, I'll want it in tip-top condition.

Only reason I can see for having a separate pipe would be if you had non-potable water supply for the hydrant. But I suppose if you were digging the trench anyway, not much extra effort to lob a bit of polypipe in as well.

View media item 1509 View media item 1510

 

[dcawkwell]

It is the Fire Brigade and building regs that want the hydrant, or a sprinkler system or a 45,000l water tank.

Sprinkler system is a bit on the expensive and complex side - and requires a decent sized tank in the house to feed it too.

We have to put a water supply in anyway, so trench needs dug.

45k tank has its own problems too - just go down a metre or so and it is rock!

So, hydrant - and would be nice to use same pipe for house and get decent flow/pressure.

But one company has told us Scottish Water want the whole thing done by an approved "self lay" company - rather than me as a private individual.

Just not sure if that was the SL Co wanting the business.

SW's web info not really too clear.

I really think scottish water have no say in the matter.
You are providing the facilities on the airfield and need to meet whatever the fire brigade want. Scottish water are just the to provided the connection. Tell them to get stuffed.

 

[JohnD]

when I ran a new waterpipe to replace an old lead one (in London, may be different) Thames Water had a register of self-certifying approved contractors, but I did it myself and they just sent someone round prior to cover-up to see it was at correct depth and done properly. Surely their power is only to ensure it meets regulations.

 

[DeltaT2]

It is the Fire Brigade and building regs that want the hydrant, or a sprinkler system or a 45,000l water tank.

Sprinkler system is a bit on the expensive and complex side - and requires a decent sized tank in the house to feed it too.

We have to put a water supply in anyway, so trench needs dug.

45k tank has its own problems too - just go down a metre or so and it is rock!

So, hydrant - and would be nice to use same pipe for house and get decent flow/pressure.

But one company has told us Scottish Water want the whole thing done by an approved "self lay" company - rather than me as a private individual.

Just not sure if that was the SL Co wanting the business.

SW's web info not really too clear.

It would be interesting to know what the design requirements are for a domestic fire sprinkler system here in Scotland, I didn't think it involved a storage tank??

I have found this and I don't see a tank involved in the design, unless of course SW can't provide enough pressure & flow at your location?
http://www.copperinfo.co.uk/plumbin...ub-125-fire-sprinkler-systems-residential.pdf

 

[flygod]

Hi,

The comments came from the Fire Brigade and it seems, as yet, there are no compulsory design standards for a sprinkler system in Scotland.

So, yes, you could have one without a storage tank - but I am not sure what the pressure we would have been.

Apparently, domestic sprinklers are now mandatory in Wales. Perhaps someone knows what is required there? Presumably, meet the BS.