Underground water pipe - who's responsible?

[slf2012]

The water pipe which supplies my house from the mains runs under my neighbours garden.

The neighbour has pointed out that there is water standing in a corner of their garden, close to where the pipe runs, and which is actually quite a high point compared to the surrounding ground.

As this is a high point, I believe that this is probably caused by the water pipe having been broken or damaged in some way.

I understand that as it's my water pipe, I am responsible, but I wanted to make sure.

I think it will be a fairly easy fix, switch off the mains water, dig down to the pipe, repair the pipe and repair the garden. Probably a grands worth of work maximum.

I have no problem spending this to make good the problem, but I wondered, am I right in assuming it's my liability?

[YourWorship]

with all water use in the house shut down, can you still hear the sound of running water in the system ?

[slf2012]

I don't think so, but I'm not sure I'd expect to - the water is coming from the mains, some is leaking out in to the neighbours garden and the rest is coming in to my house.

The point where the leak is is about 5 metres from my house.

Should I be hearing something?

[Wacky Racer]

Will your house insurance cover it?

Look at the policy.

[YourWorship]

we had a leak in the main about 2 metres from the house and could hear that quite clearly. I suppose it depends whether it is a leak or just a drip

[bigblock]

Assuming that the supply pipe is only feeding your property and not your neighbours as well then the responsibility to repair the leak would be yours.

If the supply pipe runs directly from the mains to your property with no other feeds then you have the responsibility to maintain that pipe even if it runs through someone else's land. If the supply pipe feeds several properties then there would be a joint responsibility.

[Klingon1999]

It is classified as a water main if it serves more than one property and if it does then it is the responsibility of Scottish Water. It is fairly easy to determine if it serves more than one property, find the stop valve in the pavement and turn it off, if you and the neighbours mains supply (not tank supply) stops you are on a common service and Scottish Water should fix it.

Individual services were not common before 1970 so if your house is older than that it is likely to be a common supply.

Worth phoning Scottish Water anyway as usually they will take responsibility to ascertain the situation even if they want paid if you eventually instruct them to fix it. Scottish water generally do not have records of individual house service pipes.

D.A.D.

[bigblock]

Klingon1999 said:

It is classified as a water main if it serves more than one property and if it does then it is the responsibility of Scottish Water..........

Good luck with that, I think you are confusing a common supply pipe with a water main.

[Chunkymonkey71]

If it's a main and it's part of the freshwater network it is Scottish waters responsibility. If
it's leaking water out, it could be leaking all kinds of st in.

You pay water charges as part of your council tax so this should come at no cost to you.

[Who me ?]

As I understand it in England, water is similar to other services,e.g, phone/electricity and possibly gas. Water is water company responsibility up to stop tap, phone to NTP/MASTER SOCKET,ELECTRICITY AND GAS TO METER. But as said, with older houses, there's often a common supply with more than one house connected to one stop tap. Simple way of proving it without shutting off supply. In your property ,run a tap, or for a more effective display - switch on hose from outside tap and note length of jet. Then get neighbour to open taps . If it's common supply , then you will see the hose jet length reduce. It does work. I'm on a common supply with a few other houses, and through out the day our pressure varies.