In the process of upgrading the water main into the house. The water
company has confirmed lead connects the main to our house. We've
replaced up from the water co stopcock with 25mm MDPE and the water co
is happy with that side of the install.

However, the waterco has now decided that because the water main runs
down the centre of the road (a single carriageway A road) we will have
to contribute to the cost of its service pipe replacement because of
the traffic control, Highway/Local Authority permits etc. that will be
required.

My reading of the DWI guidance to consumers
http://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumer/faq/lead.htm
"It can be required to do this free of charge."

or the The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000
http://www.dwi.gov.uk/regs/si3184/3184.htm
"...the water undertaker shall modify or replace its part of the pipe"

gives no mention of the consumer having to stick his hand in his
pocket.

Does anyone have any relevant experience in this area? After all I am
loathe to pay up to (a) maintain someone else's asset and (b) fulfil
their statutory obligations.

Trevor

As far as I know you are responsible for the pipework from your boundary (
which I assume is the outside stop tap ) and not down the road around the
corner under a motorway through a water treatment plant via a reservoir from
god up above

wrote in message
oups.com...
In the process of upgrading the water main into the house. The water
company has confirmed lead connects the main to our house. We've
replaced up from the water co stopcock with 25mm MDPE and the water co
is happy with that side of the install.

However, the waterco has now decided that because the water main runs
down the centre of the road (a single carriageway A road) we will have
to contribute to the cost of its service pipe replacement because of
the traffic control, Highway/Local Authority permits etc. that will be
required.

My reading of the DWI guidance to consumers
http://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumer/faq/lead.htm
"It can be required to do this free of charge."

or the The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000
http://www.dwi.gov.uk/regs/si3184/3184.htm
"...the water undertaker shall modify or replace its part of the pipe"

gives no mention of the consumer having to stick his hand in his
pocket.

Does anyone have any relevant experience in this area? After all I am
loathe to pay up to (a) maintain someone else's asset and (b) fulfil
their statutory obligations.

Trevor

As far as I know you are responsible for the pipework from your boundary (
which I assume is the outside stop tap ) and not down the road around the
corner under a motorway through a water treatment plant via a reservoir from
god up above

But I am sole beneficiary of the service pipe between the main and my
boundary.

I just wondered if anyone else had been asked to chip in for this
service or are they just trying it on?

I think they are trying it on! Go back and ask to speak to someone higher up
the chain of command. If it was a brand new connection then they would be
correct but it is their pipe and they should pay.


Peter Crosland

In article , IAN
writes

wrote in message
roups.com...
In the process of upgrading the water main into the house. The water
company has confirmed lead connects the main to our house. We've
replaced up from the water co stopcock with 25mm MDPE and the water co
is happy with that side of the install.

However, the waterco has now decided that because the water main runs
down the centre of the road (a single carriageway A road) we will have
to contribute to the cost of its service pipe replacement because of
the traffic control, Highway/Local Authority permits etc. that will be
required.

As far as I know you are responsible for the pipework from your boundary (
which I assume is the outside stop tap ) and not down the road around the
corner under a motorway through a water treatment plant via a reservoir from
god up above

I wonder if it is the boundary or the supply company's stopcock, if the
latter is in the pavement then it makes little difference but if (unusually) it is
in the road then it could explain their position.
--
fred

On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 00:45:48 -0700, t_hobden wrote:

In the process of upgrading the water main into the house. The water
company has confirmed lead connects the main to our house. We've
replaced up from the water co stopcock with 25mm MDPE and the water co
is happy with that side of the install.

However, the waterco has now decided that because the water main runs
down the centre of the road (a single carriageway A road) we will have
to contribute to the cost of its service pipe replacement because of
the traffic control, Highway/Local Authority permits etc. that will be
required.

My reading of the DWI guidance to consumers
http://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumer/faq/lead.htm
"It can be required to do this free of charge."

or the The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000
http://www.dwi.gov.uk/regs/si3184/3184.htm
"...the water undertaker shall modify or replace its part of the pipe"

gives no mention of the consumer having to stick his hand in his
pocket.

Does anyone have any relevant experience in this area? After all I am
loathe to pay up to (a) maintain someone else's asset and (b) fulfil
their statutory obligations.

You are responsible for the bit from your boundary to your house.
If the bit outside your property leaks it their problem.
Get proper advise and challenge them.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html

You are responsible for the bit from your boundary to your house.
If the bit outside your property leaks it their problem.
Get proper advise and challenge them.


No leaks, just trying to boost the flow rate and get rid of the lead to
boot. The stop cock's a metre from the boundary but we've dug past
that to the boundary.

The water co's T&Cs state they will replace FOC. No mention of charges
if the job looks tougher than they first thought.

The difficulty I do see if they dig their heels in is the job is listed
at such low priority that it doesn't get done in a reasonable
timescale. I see no provision in the regs to set a deadline.

fred wrote:
I wonder if it is the boundary or the supply company's stopcock,

the boundary. Had a leaflet from Thames Water not so long ago stating
this and offering 'insurance' in case anything should happen to it.


--
David Clark

$message_body_include ="PLES RING IF AN RNSR IS REQIRD"

On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 11:17:39 -0700, t_hobden wrote:


You are responsible for the bit from your boundary to your house.
If the bit outside your property leaks it their problem.
Get proper advise and challenge them.


No leaks, just trying to boost the flow rate and get rid of the lead to
boot. The stop cock's a metre from the boundary but we've dug past
that to the boundary.

The water co's T&Cs state they will replace FOC. No mention of charges
if the job looks tougher than they first thought.

The difficulty I do see if they dig their heels in is the job is listed
at such low priority that it doesn't get done in a reasonable
timescale. I see no provision in the regs to set a deadline.

When I've been involved in this, they have wanted to charge for replacing
their section. The only exception was in a few soft-water areas where they
will replace their lead main FOC. However they then insist on a water
bylaw inspection of the house. (Thames Water & Three Valleys Water).

In your case the restriction on the flow may be mostly due to their
section which would be bad news.
However there is no harm in replacing your section up to the boundary and
see what improvement you get?


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html