elamessa Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Having been told that there was no mains water or meter at my property I visited the local water company for a devis for said mains water connection.(we have been using a well for the past three years) They said they would send an engineer out to calculate costs and said that if I wanted to go ahead it would be about 4 months before they would start work as they would have to contact other service providers and other residents!!The engineer arrived as stated and said that we have a connection to the water supply as he remembers turning the supply off in 2005. After some hunting around the boundary of the property we eventually found the box with the meter inside buried under a large hedge. However the meter was not connected to the pipework that went towards the property and I have no idea where this pipework enters the property (if it does at all). We connected the mains to this pipework and turned the water on, there were no floods any where no sound of running water.... nothing. Is there any device that will read where this pipework is running too as it is obviously capped somewhere underground.All help gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 The water company (and we also had one for professional purposes) will have a metal detector to follow the pipework usually.They should also have a record of the installation or give you the name and details of the company who did the original as every installation is recorded somewhere and shouldhave plans that would have been submitted to the local mairie and to guage the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 You will be wanting a CAT and Genny (CAT scan and signal generator) I guess you may be able to rent them in France ---I absolutely didn't rent one here to use during hols. If it were me I would simply lay in a new Poly service and be done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 If I have understood correctly the mains has been re-established to the meter and stop c*ck at the boundary of the property, you have turned it on but nothing comes out in the house, correct?Does the water meter turn? If it has been capped on that side it should run for up to 30 seconds and then stop once pressurised, that will be your first test.Then you need to decide whether to trace the pipe from meter towards the house or the house towards the meter, my gut feeling is the latter.Have a good look at the relative positions of the well, the incoming mains and the house, you may be able to establish the approx location where one has been disconnected, capped or otherwise and the other spliced in.Its easier to trace a pipe that isnt capped as the water running through it is easier to detect and there will normally be a damp patch showing at the uncapped end, a good time to do so is when the snow is on the ground.To trace the route of the pipe from the house run a hosepipe from the incoming mains and connect it to the incoming stop c*ck in the house to send the water outwards, if it pressurises then it is capped.Good luck in any case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 The original question was re a device to detect the line if there is one...I think I answered that.That the OP was using a well might suggest that there isn't an incoming service immediately visible. Clues may include service 'scars' to pathways or a 'valve pit' at the house end. You should be able to dig down alongside the meter (If you can't already see) to determine whether a stub pipe has been installed just to allow a cap to be fitted. Unless there is evidence of a nice modern pipe I would suggest running new may be the best idea, If you can get one 'moled in' even better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 [quote user="Théière"][/quote] This is what my husband used Teapot, to find water pipes and sewerage pipes. First taught to him when on a course with the NEEB (North Eastern Electricity Board) many years ago. He always puts the rods into looser fitting pipes, so that the rods do their own stuff and he was not interfering. It works, it's cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elamessa Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote user="Val_2"]The water company (and we also had one for professional purposes) will have a metal detector to follow the pipework usually.They should also have a record of the installation or give you the name and details of the company who did the original as every installation is recorded somewhere and shouldhave plans that would have been submitted to the local mairie and to guage the cost.[/quote] It turns out that the water company has recorded the pipework but only to the property boundary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elamessa Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote user="BIG MAC"]You will be wanting a CAT and Genny (CAT scan and signal generator) I guess you may be able to rent them in France ---I absolutely didn't rent one here to use during hols. If it were me I would simply lay in a new Poly service and be done with it. [/quote] I think that is what I am going to do lay a new pipe because I don't think the property has ever been attached to mains water, the clue being that when the water company changed the meter to the latest model the old meter was reading 0000 plus I think the pipework that we have attached to our end of the meter is just a short piece. I wonder how long it will take me to dig a 60 meter trench!!!! I could be gone some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 The water company, like the sewage, only deliver to the boundary, after that it is down to you.I watched them lay some electricity cables to my property ad through it to next door. I am not too sure on this so please check but I think the colour of the tubing you run the pipe through is green. The they laid some sand over the top, then some green plastic webbing over that then filled the trench back up again. Do check this out, particularly the colours as they have different one for different things, I know red is electricity but there is one for telephone and another for water.I would recommend renting a mini digger. Our local hire shop is some 20km away and they charge 100 Euros for the day including delivery and collection, it may say you a bad back plus its good fun. The guy spent about 30 minutes with me giving instruction on how to use the thing, its not that difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elamessa Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote user="Quillan"]I would recommend renting a mini digger. Our local hire shop is some 20km away and they charge 100 Euros for the day including delivery and collection, it may say you a bad back plus its good fun. The guy spent about 30 minutes with me giving instruction on how to use the thing, its not that difficult.[/quote]I have sorted out a mini digger for free, a friend has one and is prepared to do the work for me.:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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