Underground supply pipe leak

[beefster]

I came home last night to find my front garden like a bog. Some work with the spade tracked the issue to a crack in the underground supply pipe to the property after the water meter.
It was after dark when I got to the issue but the pipe work is plastic and not the new style blue MDPE. It is grey pipework approx. 20mm dia.
The crack is adjacent a Tee where the supply splits to a green house and the house. This joint is glued. I no longer really require the supply in the greenhouse.

The Crack is very close to the Tee piece on the leg to said green house. mains in at bottom of "T". green house left and house right. My thoughts are to replace with an elbow.

Not sure what fittings to purchase that will fit this grey pipe work? Obv the joint is wet and 20 inches below ground level so would rather replace than attempt a repair however this may suffice to get water back on.

Any help welcomed.... Pipe size and repair ideas. Would a compression fitting work. Inserts required for the pipework? I have not cut the pipe as yet as the leak is not so bad that we cant turn it on to have showers and fill water bottles etc before isolating again. Due to concrete paths and walls I am restricted in how far I can dig back up the pipe runs. Ideally I was thinking cut tee out, convert to sweeping elbow compression fitting with inserts in existing pipework. As the site was built in the 70's I would assume it could be old imperial size???

Thanks for reading.

 

[muggles]

Sounds like brittle old stuff that will just go again - best way is to dig the lot up and replace with MDPE

 

[copea]

Most likely to be 1/2".
Philmac 9522 elbow should do the trick, with one or two Philmac 9122 straight connectors and short lengths of 20mm MDPE if the elbow won't line up with the existing pipework on its own.
Yes, you will need pipe stiffeners/inserts.
But it's likely to go again, given its age. May only be a temporary fix.

 

[beefster]

Yep looks like long term that it all should be replaced. There are a few dead legs as it was previously a nursery with green houses and stables. Looking at prob 50m run to the house with one tee off to out house. Not a small job. One for a man with a digger!

Off to the merchants for a temp fix.

 

[alan333]

Looking at prob 50m run to the house with one tee off to out house. Not a small job. One for a man with a digger!

Look into whether a new pipe could be installed using a mole. A former neighbour insisted this was possible when we looked into replacing an old lead water pipe in my old flat.

 

[beefster]

Took a measurement. External dia is 21.8mm.out of stock locally... have to be the weekend now.

 

[Agile]

In that case many push fit pipe fittings for 22 mm would probably fit.

But finding an insert to suit may be a problem.

A temporary solution would be to lay a 32 mm MDPE pipe on the surface until you can get it excavated or moled in.

Should be fitted minimum of 750 mm down.

Tony

 

[beefster]

That was my thought too Tony. I am only seeking a temporary fix until the ground dries enough to enable a trench to be dug for a new pipe connection. At the moment the lawn area is a bit of a bog what with it being mostly clay and plenty of rain about. Plus the leak of course! Inserts could indeed be a worry. Something I will only be able to address once I cut the Tee piece out and establish the internal diameter tomorrow.
Start early in the morning and hope I can sort something out before the merchant closes at mid day! Fingers crossed!

 

[Agile]

You could start with the inserts used in plastic 22 mm tube.

But it will be difficult to know which one fits until you have cut the pipe.

There are probably a few different makes and sizes.

But cheap to buy a couple of each if you are going to try that solution.

Tony

 

[JimCrow]

Tony, why would you use inserts on uPVC solvent welded pipe?.

 

[beefster]

Tony did say push fit fittings not welded.
Local merchant has been there for years and the guys where a great help. Cut the tee and a bit of the dead leg out. Re measured pipe and it was 21.5mm. Tried a push fit 22mm and was not happy with it. The o ring didn't seem tight enough to me. Took it to the merchant and the philmac may have pushed on if we bullied it. The old boy there said lets have a look... That's xyz pipe (can't remember what he said) wandered off and came back with a standard 22 mm compression fitting and replaced the olives with 3/4 ones. "That will do it".
Two straight and one elbow 22mm comp fittings with 2x 3/4 olives and a bit of 22mm copper. Job done.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[Agile]

And no inserts?

 

[Doggit]

Now contact you're local water board. They will try and wriggle out of it, and you'll have to push them on it, but it's now their responsibility to do the repair. The other point, is that once the leak is done, they'll then calculate your usage, and then backdate the calculations.

 

[beefster]

Did ask about inserts and he said you won't need any.
Interesting regarding the supplier.
Leak was after meter and a stop cock after it on my property. Given the property was a nursery with water pipes running to green houses and animal sheds plus the house I doubt that's the case here.... But happy To be proved wrong.

 

[Agile]

So has used metal olives on a plastic pipe with no inserts? I do hope they were copper olives as they are softer.

At least if the pipe cracks it will not flood the house.

Tony