Locating service pipes

[gillean]

Hello!

I'm looking at the feasibility of installing a small, sunken, ornamental pond (1m by 2m, 0.5m deep, say) in my garden.  I don't have much choice about where to put it, and If I do decide to go ahead, I'm pretty sure that I'd need to dig in the vicinity of one or more of the service pipes supplying the house (gas, water and electric).   Is there any way I can find the locations of these pipe before I start work?  Thanks.

[gillean]

[Roy Bham UK]

 ;D Hi Gillean and welcome aboard ;) I think I'm right in saying that gas electric and water is fed through the front of your property from the street, are you thinking of having your pond in the front garden ???

If by any chance you have the services coming in from the rear of your property, I think the general rule is that it will travel along your boundary line, drains etc: may be anywhere but you will know by the manhole covers.

If I'm wrong I'm sure I will be corrected. ;D ;)

[gillean]

Thanks for your response, Roy.

Just to clarify: I live in a flat, and so I only have a "front" garden!  It's reasonably private though, and doesn't face onto the road.

Thanks again

gillean

[Anthony]

Hi Gillean,

Whereabouts in the country are you located?  I'm almost certain that all Utility Companies have specialist systems that have details of pipework etc within a given area. United Utilities, the company I do work for certainly have one.  I suspect that there is probably a number you could ring to get maps etc but I'm not sure if it would be chargeable or not :( - Unless of course you do live in the North West in which case "I'll see what I can do"  :)

Give me a shout

Tony

[gillean]

Hello Tony

Funnily enough I do live in the NW - Cumbria in fact!  I'm also a United Utilities customer, and I have actually found them to be quite helpful in the past (eg when I wanted a spec for my drinking water when I used to keep tropical fish).  I'll give them a ring and see if they can help me out.  Many thanks for the suggestion.

[Anthony]

Well that's a lucky co-incidence.  Yes UU are generally quite good - (Having a wife that works for them, and being our biggest customer I have to say that!!) If when you do ring they are on about charging you for the information, let me know and I'll have a word in the right direction and see if we can get it done for nothing.  I shouldn't think it would be a problem.

Good luck

anthony

[gillean]

Hello Tony

I rang UU straight after getting your message.  According to the person I spoke to on the helpline, they only have maps of the mains, and generally don't have details of the connections from the mains to households.  However you can book a visit from the Local Inspector who will come out - free of charge - and help you trace the connection.  So that's the water sorted!

I get my gas and electric from  Powergen, but I've not yet managed to contact them.   Hopefully they offer a similar (and free!) service.  I'll let you know how I get on.  Thanks for your interest.

regards

gillean

[Anthony]

 :) 1 down 2 to go!! Is suspect that Powergen will probably put you back in contact with UU for your electricity as you will probably fall under the old Norweb's distribution network (Norweb and NWW merged to form UU) Again any problems and i can probably help with htis one - As for the gas pipes, I suspect that Powergen will probably recomend Britsh Gas or more specifically Transco as a contact for this.

[gillean]

Just a short update in case anyone is still following this thread!

I gave up trying to get through to Powergen on the phone, and so just emailed them instead.  Ten days later (ie somewhat longer than the 72 hours stated in their initial "auto-response") I did actually get a reply: contact UU for the electrics (0800 195 1452) and Transco for the gas (0870 608 1524).  Which is of course exactly the advice given by Tony 2 weeks ago! 

However, in the interim I managed to get hold of a copy of the deeds to the property, which unfortunately shows 2 pipe trenches cutting across the area of interest.  This doesn't necessarily put a total block on the project, but it's an extra complication that I could well do without.  If I do decide to go ahead I'm sure there will be other questions I'll have, which I'll post under a new thread. 

Thanks for the help so far.

gillean

[Anthony]

Hi Gilllean,

I have been wondering how you were getting on.  Glad to see that you are making some progress.

If you do have any more problems/questions feel free to post on here no matter how major/minor.  There is always someone on here that will have experienced something similar and will happily guide you in the right direction.

Good Luck  and keep us informed

tony