water in cellar

[chris1970]

Hi, twice in the last two weeks a big pool of water has appeared in my cellar which has been dry since i've lived here(5 years) , there is no obvious signs of a leak but the property next door to me has been recently renovated. Is there any inexpensive of testing the water to prove that it is not rainwater and maybe from a leak . I have yet to see the people next door to see whether they have a leak but also it might not be apparent to them. Any help would be gratefully received ,Thanks

[The Builder]

Interesting question Chris. I'm pretty sure simple chemical analysis at a lab would be able to tell. I guess fluoride and other additives in mains water would distinguish it from rainwater.
Before that though, you would need your neighbour's co-operation in carrying out a very simple pressure test on either their incoming main, or their domestic pipework. Inability to "hold" pumped pressure would point to a leak.

[gingejbee]

Your water company calls this a "suspect leak". If you believe it may be mains water, you contact them, an inspector will call and take a sample. Their lab will do some simple tests (eg conductivity and hardness) which will help identify it. This service is free.
However, a mains leak is unlikely to "come and go". It usually arrives and gets worse....and worse....!

[gingejbee]

....recent renovation next door (depending on what's been done) may have affected what happens to surface water...particularly after heavy rainfall.

[The Builder]

Well, you learn something every day :o) Thanks to Ginge. I had no idea the Water Co. would that.

[gingejbee]

You're welcome, Builder. The reason they offer this service (free) is that it is in their own interests to have suspected leaks reported to them - so they can find and fix. If they charged for this service, nobody would report their cellars full of water etc.!

[The Builder]

Makes sense Ginge. I did some work on a similar problem recently. In that case, it was simply blocked and cracked rainwater gullies. Tracing was easy ..... just poured a bucket of very dilute emulsion down the gullies and watched it come through the wall ;o)
Needless to say, the cellar wasn't inhabited. :o)

[tufty7]

As already advised , call it through to your local water company they will have a clean water side and a waste water side , trust me they will treat it as urgent, its a free service and will be checked out fully , ammonia tested or fluoride tested to see if sewage, fresh water or surface water , they will advise you what it is , if its a blockage thats leading to seepage or a fresh water pipe leaking they will deal with it or advise if its a private issue .....