Underground drainage guidance

[Riley]

Chaps

I don't claim to be particularly knowledgable about underground drainage as I've never really had much involvement with it.

one of my neighbours said they thought their drain was blocked so I said I'd take a look.

Now i have im not 100% sure what I'm looking at see pic



All around the pipe in the centre there is about 8 inches of stagnant water.

Should this his be there as there doesn't look anywhere for it to go. If it's blocked I'm happy to pass it to a drainage firm but I just want to advise my neighbour appropriately.

Any advice welcome.

Cheers

matt

 

[plumben]

wheres the inlet/s to the chamber?

 

[Riley]

The only way in and out of the chamber is that pipe. The rest is sealed it would seem

 

[stevetheplumber]

could that be the top of one of those cesspit chamber things sorry we dont get them in london so im not up on the terminology if theres no way in and out it must be for looking in rodding or emptying the latter would be my guess

 

[Riley]

You might be right mate I'm not 100% sure there'd be a cesspit as its middle of a town. I just found it weird, the water around the pipe just doesn't seem to be able to go anywhere if you look at this second pic it shows what I believe is the normal channel that waste would flow down to the sewer.

 

[mfgs]

I cant say I have ever seen anything like that before.

 

[mfgs]

If you run a tap can you see any water fill the chamber or any sign of movement?

 

[rpm]

Any chance that pipe should be capped? Only going by the one in my back garden where a cap screws on and another short piece underneath pulls out.

That could be no more than rain water seeping past the lid?

 

[Riley]

I'm inclined to agree re rain gathering. When it reaches a certain level it'll go down the drain hmmmm strange one

 

[rpm]

Flush a load of bleach away and watch for bubbles to flow past? Also if the there is a hard surface under the water then it`s most likely rain water.

 

[rpm]

I'm inclined to agree re rain gathering. When it reaches a certain level it'll go down the drain hmmmm strange one

But it wont all go as the pipe is higher than the surface around it so some water will always be below the top of the pipe until it soaks away.

 

[Riley]

Defos hard surface. Gave it a good poking with my crowbar. I was just curious if the water should be sitting there and stagnating. That's sll

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Never seen the likes.

Interested to know how you unblock it if it's full of waste.

 

[Riley]

Me too mate :wink:

 

[jonnyswamp]

Is it some sort of silt trap?
Surface water enters chamber and any silt/sediment falls to bottom rather than into drainage system, then fluid enters drain when level of outlet pipe is reached?
Have seen similar, but not exactly like your neighbours

 

[Riley]

That would be a very logical answer I was wondering if it was relevant to an old outside toilet that they had years and years ago. I can kind of see the purpose of a drain like that 24 and 20 just not really sure what you're supposed to do with the water that sitting there stagnating

 

[plumben]

That would be a very logical answer I was wondering if it was relevant to an old outside toilet that they had years and years ago. I can kind of see the purpose of a drain like that 24 and 20 just not really sure what you're supposed to do with the water that sitting there stagnating

Hose pipe, swap the water for fresh