can underground main feed pipe be thawed?

[sammy34]

our main water feed pipe is frozen, not internal pipe work as have checked and warmed internal pipes and both my house and neighbouring cottage have no water. the property is a farm cottage and the same happened last year, water being off for 10 days! have spoken to landlord and asked him to sort it as we have a 10 month baby in the house and need water for bottles etc. he says there is nothing he can do. is this true? i was under the impression that even main water feed pipes can be thawed with jetters, heating cables or electric currents. it is a blue plastic pipe, running from one end of the farm yard to the houses with a couple of stand pipes off it, so he has tried applying heat to these and sending water down one. any help would be very welcome!

 

[dontknowitall]

Once frozen not a lot can be done. Jetting or something like that could cause a huge range of other problems when the water melts - e.g. too much pressure in the taps in the house or WC cisterns, etc.

If this is the second time it's happened recently I'd suggest the pipes aren't buried deep enough (should be at least 750mm down).

 

[PuraTherm]

Once frozen not a lot can be done. Jetting or something like that could cause a huge range of other problems when the water melts - e.g. too much pressure in the taps in the house or WC cisterns, etc.

If this is the second time it's happened recently I'd suggest the pipes aren't buried deep enough (should be at least 750mm down).

He's right. Unfortunately not much you can do with the plastic pipe.

 

[sammy34]

thanks for replies. am bit astonished that in this day nothing can be done to thaw out a bit of plastic pipe! i am sure pipes are not buried deep enough but as i only rent the property am not prepared to pay for them to dug up and re buried and highly doubt the landlord will! looks like in for several days of no water :-(