Leaking mains water pipe

[hammerman]

We've just had a 14 day order slapped on us for a "waste of water" from the mains supply pipe. My buildings and plumbing insurance don't want to know as it's "wear and tear".

So we started digging last night at the point the water man told us roughly where the leak was and we found it immediately. The problem is, i'm told that the pipe is made of steel and can't be joined unless a screw thread is put on it (tap and die ?)

Do any of you lovely people have any tricks up their sleeves that can be used to fix the problem apart from the above method. The pipe is 22mm and is 30" below ground. I'm already having to demolish the fish pond in the front garden to dig a big enough hole to get in there.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

HM

[4getmenot]

Really what insurance company are you with?

[4getmenot]

also the water board would want to know it has been all mended to standards and wont happen again and will ask for a copy of an invoice to prove this

[123everton]

It's a foot higher than it ought to be, you can get a firm to run a mole through the ground and fit a whole new main in plastic without damaging your garden.
I would seriously consider changing the whole main, as it's steel it will be rusty along the full length and your water will be contaminated by it.

[dustypuss]

Let the hole fill with water and then sling a few more fish in :-)

[4getmenot]

you shouldnt have said you'd found leak etc. You should have just called insurance and said you been asked to have water main checked by water board and they would have got a company out to survey

[Old_Geezer]

Apart from suggesting you let an expert deal wiith it, I'm unsure what to suggest.

Personally I've always thought it was a bit of a cheek the water companies not taking responsibility up to the house. After all we allowed them to lay their pipe in our garden in order to sell to us; they should be grateful. :-(

[carrust]

http://www.machinemar.../dies/type/any/page/1
There's no other quick way to repair a leaky water main, unless you know of a welder, or you are confident of tackling it yourself using a stock & dies in the link above.
Have you a rough idea how much it would cost to get a person in to do it?