I've had some experience with setting up a new mains water supply, and while it can be a bit of a hassle, it's definitely worth it for the improved water pressure and reliability. Thankfully, SFE Energy was a huge help during the process. Their customer service is amazing — they guided me through every step and made sure everything went smoothly. If you're dealing with setting up a new mains water supply or any other utility needs, I highly recommend reaching out to them.
New Mains Water Supply
- Thread starter Sean Regan
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So much for my idea that this job would only require one man with a spade and a spanner.
A big van turned up at 8.00am this morning with a large four wheeled trailer, with an excavator and it was full of big yellow barriers and signs.
The three man crew, closed off the footpath either side of our house with these barriers and placed “footpath closed” notices, cones and arrow signs, “everywhere.”
They then used a yellow paint aerosol to spray put “East and West” markings through a template on the footpath either side of the water meter, to indicate where they were going to excavate.
Then one took photos on his mobile phone, to prove that these precautions had been taken, before they started work.
I guess under 'elf n' safety” it's necessary, but the likelihood of there being any pedestrians passing was nil. Everyone in our crescent has a car. Kids don't even pass on their way to school, few families live here with them and their parents take them by car.
Then “rain stopped play” for a bit.
They used a jackhammer to get through the pathway and the excavator to remove the soil.
Job part done and reconnected in a couple of hours. There were actually four right-angled bends in the pipework from the badly fitted meter, before it connected to my new pipe.
Now with the meter refitted the right way round, there are no bends.
The third man was the supervisor, there to see the job was done to my satisfaction. He was the one who realised that there must have been a problem between my new pipe and the meter if I was still getting low pressure after it was installed. So he came down a couple of weeks back to check it out. The original meter had been fitted by a sub-contractor, not United Utilities themselves.
He was aware I'd written to the C E. I told him I'd be writing back complementing the team on their work (in the rain).
The pressure is now fine.
The pathway still needs to be reinstated later today.
A big van turned up at 8.00am this morning with a large four wheeled trailer, with an excavator and it was full of big yellow barriers and signs.
The three man crew, closed off the footpath either side of our house with these barriers and placed “footpath closed” notices, cones and arrow signs, “everywhere.”
They then used a yellow paint aerosol to spray put “East and West” markings through a template on the footpath either side of the water meter, to indicate where they were going to excavate.
Then one took photos on his mobile phone, to prove that these precautions had been taken, before they started work.
I guess under 'elf n' safety” it's necessary, but the likelihood of there being any pedestrians passing was nil. Everyone in our crescent has a car. Kids don't even pass on their way to school, few families live here with them and their parents take them by car.
Then “rain stopped play” for a bit.
They used a jackhammer to get through the pathway and the excavator to remove the soil.
Job part done and reconnected in a couple of hours. There were actually four right-angled bends in the pipework from the badly fitted meter, before it connected to my new pipe.
Now with the meter refitted the right way round, there are no bends.
The third man was the supervisor, there to see the job was done to my satisfaction. He was the one who realised that there must have been a problem between my new pipe and the meter if I was still getting low pressure after it was installed. So he came down a couple of weeks back to check it out. The original meter had been fitted by a sub-contractor, not United Utilities themselves.
He was aware I'd written to the C E. I told him I'd be writing back complementing the team on their work (in the rain).
The pressure is now fine.
The pathway still needs to be reinstated later today.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2018
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- 3,893
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Nearly there.
Two guys turned up in this big truck with a grabber completely blocking the road and filled the big hole in the pathway around my new water meter. They then compressed the fill with a petrol driven "wacker." All at 8.00am on a Sunday morning, which would have pleased my neighbours no end.
Had to move the barriers when they'd gone, as they'd not left me much room to get my car out later today.
The pathway still needs to be tarmacked, but that won't happen until Monday at the earliest.
Two guys turned up in this big truck with a grabber completely blocking the road and filled the big hole in the pathway around my new water meter. They then compressed the fill with a petrol driven "wacker." All at 8.00am on a Sunday morning, which would have pleased my neighbours no end.
Had to move the barriers when they'd gone, as they'd not left me much room to get my car out later today.
The pathway still needs to be tarmacked, but that won't happen until Monday at the earliest.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2018
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- 3,561
- Reaction score
- 3,893
- Location
- "The Tropic of Trafford"
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- Keir Hardy
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The "Water Main Saga" is nearing its close.
A wagon turned up at 9.00am this morning with some tarmac and two workmen filled in over the hardcore and "wackered it."
It sure was a very big hole.
Half an hour after they left another wagon turned up and collected the barriers, cones and several warning signs and did a bit of sweeping.
I got my garden vac out and blew the rest of the residual debris into the gutter.
The "mystical yellow signs" on the pathway, will eventually wear away.
All I want now is a response from the chief executive to the letter I sent to her which she will have received yesterday, in which I thanked her for having adequate water pressure restored and..
"What about the £1080 I shelled out for a new water pipe, which I wouldn't have needed if you'd got the installation of the water meter right in the first place?"
"I live in hope, but with few expectations."
A wagon turned up at 9.00am this morning with some tarmac and two workmen filled in over the hardcore and "wackered it."
It sure was a very big hole.
Half an hour after they left another wagon turned up and collected the barriers, cones and several warning signs and did a bit of sweeping.
I got my garden vac out and blew the rest of the residual debris into the gutter.
The "mystical yellow signs" on the pathway, will eventually wear away.
All I want now is a response from the chief executive to the letter I sent to her which she will have received yesterday, in which I thanked her for having adequate water pressure restored and..
"What about the £1080 I shelled out for a new water pipe, which I wouldn't have needed if you'd got the installation of the water meter right in the first place?"
"I live in hope, but with few expectations."
Last edited:
- Joined
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Had a phone call from United Utilities this afternoon, checking to see if the work done to replace the water meter had been completed to my satisfaction.
I used the opportunity to say, "Well, as you're asking."
I used the opportunity to say, "Well, as you're asking."
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Phone call from United Utilities today. I will be receiving £1080, what I paid for my new 25mm supply pipe.
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Polite persistence pays off, great.
- Joined
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- "The Tropic of Trafford"
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It certainly does.