Sewer/manhole

[Millwright]

Hopefully this is the correct section.

We've been having some work done and we've noticed a bit of sand inside on the the manholes when the lid was lifted. I think someone was washing off their shovels etc down there

Anyway, that aside, to stop the sewer from backing up and free flowing, what should I do to move/wash out the sand that's now resting on the bottom of the pipe.

Should I pressure wash it through?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Agile]

Interesting question!

But tell us more!

Lets assume its a 4" sewer in clay pipe. How deep is the sand?

How far to the next manhole or to the main sewer ( in the road ? ).

Tony

 

[Millwright]

I think it's a 12" pipe and I don't think it even serves my property at all, certainly not at this point. There is another cover out the front which this may come from. There's about two inches of sand in it. Some brickwork needed re doing around it as well as other work, so some has obviously got inside it.

 

[Agile]

It is very unusual for a 12" internal bore sewer to be on a domestic property as that's a size which would be serving at least 10 house.

You should really try to discover what it is for and who is liable for its maintenance!

2" of sand in a 12" sewer does not sound very serious to me and I would suggest you ignore it.

Is there water running in this pipe?

Are there other inspection chambers nearby???

Tony

 

[Millwright]

It is very unusual for a 12" internal bore sewer to be on a domestic property as that's a size which would be serving at least 10 house.

You should really try to discover what it is for and who is liable for its maintenance!

2" of sand in a 12" sewer does not sound very serious to me and I would suggest you ignore it.

Is there water running in this pipe?

Are there other inspection chambers nearby???

Tony

Yes I think it is a sewer run which comes from around the corner from other houses, then ours probably joins into that as it goes onward.

 

[ree]

The best method of establishing who drains from where into what is to look.

Lift the cover of the M/H in question, and have someone operate all the wet house fixtures, WC etc. one by one while you observe down the M/H. Bucket water down rainwater gulleys.

This simple practice can also be used to determine neighbour's sewer and drainage runs - its esp. important to know who "owns" or shares what in case of a blockage

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

A pipe of that size will be serving a number of properties, and so will be the responsibility of the Water Company to maintain. I would speak to them, put the ball in their court. Maybe a problem they wish to investigate or they may leave it until such time as it causes a problem.

A sewer of that size isn't unheard of running through domestic properties, it's not ideal but depending on the lie of the land, it sometimes is necessary. I recall a job where we had to run a 36" storm sewer between 2 houses and through the rear garden to the stream at the bottom. Space was at a premium to get the excavator in, let alone dig a trench of the size required!

 

[Millwright]

Well I gave it a pressure wash to move it along. It appeared that some of the sand was quite settled and a bit hard, possibly concrete, but wasn't difficult to break and move, probably not quite settled due to it being wet all the time.

I'm going to have a go with one of the drain cleaning attachments for the pressure washer and see about giving the pipes either side of the gulley a good blasting.

One of these

http://www.powertoolsdirect.com/med...136e95/k/a/karcher-drain-cleaning-kit-15m.jpg

 

[HERTS P&D]

Get it jetted out.

Andy