A Site Manager s Guide to New Water Mains and Service Connections on New Developments

Transcription

1 A Site Manager s Guide to New Water Mains and Service Connections on New Deveopments southwestwater.co.uk

2 Overview This site manager s guide provides information on heath and safety, new water mains, new service connections and property occupancy on new deveopments. This guide is intended to assist suitaby trained and competent site managers in order that they are better abe to obtain the services they require in a reiabe and cost-effective manner. This guide is not intended to repace the terms and conditions of appication/agreement and users of this guide shoud aways refer to a documentation provided throughout the appication process and that of nationa reguations/requirements.

3 Tabe of contents Page Heath and safety 1 Water mains 1 Pre commencement meeting 2 Site preparation and commencement of main aying 3-4 Post-construction sign off 5 Use of hydrants 5 Fire hydrants on new water mains 6 Service connections 7 Specification for underground services 7-11 Occupancy of new properties 12

4 Heath and safety Any design and construction work must compy with CDM Reguations If in doubt pease refer to the HSE website. Water mains - key points Hod pre-commencement meeting with a South West Water representative prior to any new mains work starting. The ine of the main is cear from obstructions, the roads and footways are ceary marked, and the ine and eves are ceary defined, prior and during works Ensure fire hydrants and other street furniture is accessibe and free from obstructions and damage Barrier pipes must be used on contaminated and. Page 1

5 Pre-commencement meeting Before the construction of the new water main commences a South West Water representative wi arrange a pre-commencement site meeting. This meeting shoud be attended by a South West Water representative and a representative from the deveoper and if appropriate a representative from the sef-ay organisation. At the meeting the foowing wi be discussed and agreed and minutes must be taken and issued to a attendees. A provisiona commencement date to start the mains construction That the kerb ine and eves wi be avaiabe by the construction start date Provision of a designated contamination-free area for the storage of pipes and fittings so that deivery can be arranged (off ground storage required) Exchange heath and safety and CDM information Comparison between the engths of mains to be constructed to the mains design drawing That the pot numbering and pot ayouts haven t changed or been amended since the drawing up of the mains design drawing To be sure the ine and eve of other utiities services in the vicinity of the water mains or service pipes have been identified Service connection types (boundary box, manifods etc) and confirmation of boundary box positions Contact detais reating to the particuar scheme Testing and commissioning to reevant timescaes Any other site-specific information. Important note: If the South West Water representative arrives on site and the agreed construction phase cannot be competed due to reasons within the deveoper s contro, South West Water reserves the right to charge remobiisation to site and any additiona connections required as a resut of the agreed construction phase not being competed. Page 2

6 Site preparation and commencement of main aying Before construction of the new main starts it is important that: The proposed ine and eve of the main is cear and free from obstructions A kerb race or other permanent identification of the imits of the roads or footpaths is in pace (South West Water wi not accept iabiity for kerbs that are damaged during the water main instaation or commissioning) The ine and eve to the back edge of the footpaths are ceary defined. South West Water wi ay new water mains in accordance with the Nationa Joint Utiities Group (NJUG) - Guideines on the Positioning and Coour Coding of Underground Utiities Apparatus - Voume 1 and expects deveopers to ensure that other utiities aso ay their apparatus in accordance with the NJUG guideines. The reason for this is to safeguard the heath and safety of our staff and to ensure that our apparatus remains accessibe for future maintenance. Pease refer to the diagram beow. A peope working for South West Water and its contractor must be given a site induction by the deveoper immediatey upon arriva on site. They wi aso be required to sign in and out at the site office each day they are on site. X.75x.55x.4x Lamp Coumn x C Way Eectricity Gas Water Teecom A Dims in mm Page 3

7 If South West Water apparatus is obstructed by other utiity apparatus aid subsequent to our own main aying or by other obstructions eg scaffoding etc we reserve the right to suspend the individua service connections unti the correct access is provided. In these instances the deveoper wi incur an abortive charge per connection (see current charges scheme for detais) and the connections wi be deayed. Service pipe road crossing ducts shoud be bue in coour and instaed by the deveoper in the positions shown on the design drawing. They shoud be a minimum of 50mm diameter and at a depth of 750mm 1350mm beow the finished service eve. The position of the ducts shoud be ceary marked. No mains to be instaed in ducts and a maximum of five service pipes per duct. The deveoper wi be responsibe for ensuring that a chambers, where instaed, are vertica, and frames and covers are mortared to the chamber sections at the correct eve to meet the finished surface eves. Any identified damage to the water mains and associated fittings wi be repaired by the water company and recharged to the responsibe party. To enabe future maintenance, a minimum cearance of 300mm wi appy to distribution mains and must be maintained where any works or services are instaed adjacent to a water main. The deveoper wi be recharged for any diversionary works where this cannot be achieved. Specific advice wi be given for trunk mains. District heating The proximity of district heating apparatus may affect the efficiency and operation of our underground apparatus. Therefore before district heating apparatus is aid, contact must be made with South West Water. Instaers of district heating must consider the ocation, spacing and depth of cover to avoid potentia confict with our existing and proposed underground apparatus. Page 4

8 Post-construction sign-off Once the new water main is commissioned, South West Water or its contractor wi wak the ine of the new main to ensure that: Fittings have been instaed as per the design drawing Fittings are in chambers set to finish eves given Correct covers are fitted to the fittings Correct marker posts are instaed. Any defects identified at this point wi be rectified by South West Water and recharged accordingy. Once the site is signed off as compete and there are no outstanding defects, any subsequent damage to the main or mains fittings wi be recharged to the responsibe party. Use of hydrants Unauthorised use of a hydrant is an offence under Section 174 of the Water Industry Act In order to avoid the risk of ega proceedings, pease contact South West Water to get authorisation to use a designated hydrant and to hire a metered standpipe. Interference with hydrants can resut in: Contamination of the water network Damage to fire hydrants Discoouration of the water network Burst mains due to pressure surges Reduction in pressure of the water network Interruption to suppy to surrounding properties. Fire hydrants shoud not be used for temporary buiding water suppies. Page 5

9 Fire hydrants on new water mains When designing new water mains South West Water wi iaise with the fire authorities regarding the provision of fire hydrants, and wi insta new fire hydrants where requested by the fire authority. Fire hydrants are ife-saving devices so it is important that once the new water main is commissioned: Site access is made avaiabe to fire service personne so that the new fire hydrants can be inspected and adopted by the fire authority The new fire hydrants are kept free and are not covered or obstructed as they must be accessibe in the event of a fire during the construction of the deveopment When constructing footpaths and other fina surfaces, the correct fire hydrant cover is instaed, the fire hydrant marker post is in position, and the fire hydrant cover is to finished surface eve and not buried Fire hydrant chambers are free of debris and surfacing materias and the cover can be removed. Page 6

10 Service connections key points A service pipes to be instaed to compy with Water Suppy (Water Fittings) Reguations 1999 Service pipes to be instaed a minimum of 750mm deep and a maximum of 1350mm deep Meter face to be instaed to a minimum 150mm deep and a maximum of 500mm. The depth from box inet and outet to finished surface sha be 750mm. A interna manifods to be instaed to South West Water s instaation guidance prior to being connected Where site status is contaminated appropriate pipe systems must be instaed as agreed with the water company e.g. barrier pipe Service pipes are capped and abeed to show which pot they suppy (Watertight stop end, not tape or pastic bag). Ensure area is safe and cear from obstructions before requesting connections Inform South West Water of a occupants detais and date of occupancy. Specification for underground services It is the deveoper s responsibiity to ay the service pipes from the property to the indicated point of connection. The instaed service pipe and fittings must compy with Water Suppy (Water Fittings) Reguations A materias used in meeting this responsibiity are to be suitaby approved, for exampe WRASapproved for use on potabe water suppies. Service pipes must be a minimum of 750mm deep and no more than 1350mm. The pipe must be ducted where they enter the buiding so that the pipe can be easiy retracted and repaced. An interna stop tap must be instaed prior to service connections being made, and the end of the pipe connected to the main must be seaed. Service pipes are to be bedded and covered in sand prior to trenches being backfied. Service pipes shoud be aid in straight runs and shoud not cross neighbouring pots. Service pipes shoud not run down the pubic footpath or highway. Page 7

11 It is important that a service pipes are ceary marked or abeed as to which pot they serve before the connections are requested. Faiure to abe the service pipes may ead to deays or service connections being aborted. Position of boundary boxes Boundary boxes must be instaed as agreed. Where we have instaed the boundary boxes as instructed, any repositioning wi be carried out at the deveoper s cost. It is important that the deveoper agrees the boundary box positions at the pre-commencement meeting. Water reguations and approved contractors A externa service pipes and interna pumbing must compy with the Water Suppy (Water Fittings) Reguations Sef certification by approved pumbers or ground workers may negate the need for inspection. South West Water has the right to carry out water reguations inspections to ensure compiance. The water reguations are designed to prevent inefficient use of water, waste, misuse, undue consumption, or erroneous measurement of it, and most importanty to prevent contamination of drinking water. Water services in contaminated ground If the site has been deemed to be contaminated, the service pipes instaed by the deveoper must be in either WRAS approved barrier pipe (Egepast preferred) or pastic coated underground copper to BS EN 1057/1996 Pipeine Service Pipe Meter Box Standard p Poyethene Poyethene Standard boundary box Contaminated Protected ductie Copper with poyethene Boundary box for and iron or barrier pipe coating or WRAS contaminated and approved barrier pipe Interna manifod connections for bocks of apartments or fats If any of the service connections on site are to be made using four or six way manifods, the manifods must be instaed by your contractor before the connection(s) can be requested. Individua meters wi be instaed as required foowing the connection. Page 8

12 Temporary buiding/wefare suppies Temporary buiding suppies can be made to either a temporary standpipe or to temporary site wefare faciities. A standpipes and wefare faciities must compy with the Water Suppy (Water Fittings) Reguations Temporary suppies are not expected to be in pace for more than 12 months and ony one per site. When the temporary buiding suppy is no onger required, South West Water must be contacted to arrange for the suppy to be disconnected. A standpipes and/or taps that a hose may be connected to must be fitted with a doube check vave. Temporary connection to permanent connection The connection is initiay used as a buiding suppy but wi be utiised as a permanent suppy once the property is competed. During construction you wi need to decide on the meter position from the options avaiabe. You shoud contact South West Water at the eariest opportunity when you want to convert the temporary suppy to the permanent suppy. A pipe work shoud be protected from both mechanica and frost damage. Page 9

13 Requesting domestic service connections When the deveoper or deveoper s representative contacts South West Water to request service connections, they shoud make sure: Payment for the services has been made Property is secure (ie was, doors, window and roof) The service pipe from the property to the connection point is in pace and compies with the specification above and the Water Suppy (Water Fittings) Reguations 1999 The service pipe is ceary marked as to which property it suppies and is seaed to avoid contamination The area around the service connection is free from obstaces such as skips, scaffod and buiding materias The pipe inside the buiding has a stop tap fitted The ends of any ducts are exposed and marked The finished kerb ine and eves are known The water main has been tested and commissioned before service connections are requested Boundary boxes are not be in driveways or on vehice crossovers You wi be advised in advance of any additiona conditions which may be required, for exampe non-domestic suppies wi be inspected before connection can be made. Deviation from any of the above may resut in your connection(s) being aborted. If so this wi incur a rebooking deay and abortive charges. Page 10

14 Chorination of service pipes If the service pipe you are instaing is greater than 50mm interna diameter (63mm OD) and/or greater than 50m in ength you wi need to arrange for this to be chorinated, tested and approved by South West Water before we wi connect it to our network. We require a copy of your chorination certificate and anaysis resuts in order to authorise the connection(s). If there is any suspicion of contamination for any other reason, for exampe sewage or ground water, then chorination and testing wi be required. This is to ensure consumers and our infrastructure are not at risk of contamination. New mains A pipes and fittings for new mains shoud be transported and stored so as to prevent ingress or contamination. They shoud not be stored in direct contact with the ground and open ends shoud be capped or otherwise protected. Reasonabe measures shoud be taken to excude ingress or contamination during aying. The pipe end shoud be capped whenever work stops for an extended period (e.g. overnight). Before a new main is brought into service it must be ceaned, pressure tested and disinfected. Water sampes must be taken and anaysed and satisfactory resuts obtained in respect of microbioogica and aesthetic parameters before connections to the existing network are undertaken. Samping and anaytica testing requires at east four to five days by an approved aboratory. Post-connection damage Any damage caused to boundary meter boxes or manifods after they have been connected wi be repaired or repaced by South West Water and the fu cost of the work wi be recovered from the responsibe party. Page 11

15 Occupancy of new properties The deveoper coud be charged for any standing charges and water consumption unti South West Water is informed of the new occupant s detais. When notifying South West Water of a new occupant the foowing information wi be required: Property reference number (the property reference number can be found on the buider s card which is sent out when the new account is set up) Fu name(s) of occupant (responsibe for bi) Fu posta address of property Date of occupancy Occupier s previous address Meter seria number and reading. Page 12

16 Usefu contact numbers South West Water - Services Hepine * 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, Emergencies ony at any other time. New Connections Pease note you wi need to state your work request number when contacting South West Water. You wi have separate work request numbers for the mains scheme and service connections. *03 numbers are charged at standard rates and wi be incuded in any free minutes in a mobie or andine phone contract. southwestwater.co.uk SMGv2-0915