Where I can get underground communications plans?

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solival

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#191023 20-Jan-2016 13:04

Hi geeks,

Having fun with my house renovation project. This time, I'm planning to build fence and I need to dig fence posts. However, I know that there (under ground) I have waste water, water mains, and gas tubes. I don't want to damage any of these.

How can I found location (+/- 50cm) and depth of these communications? I know where each point goes into earth, but I don't want to dig along their way (still can accidentally damage tube). Which companies can provide this info? I went to city council and printed plans there, but they have only waste water plan. I still need to know where gas and water mains go.

Geek originally from Ukraine :)

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#1475337 20-Jan-2016 13:11

These guys (I think):

http://beforeudig.co.nz/

SATTV

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#1475342 20-Jan-2016 13:12

Depending on the age of your section and who you council is, there is no accurate information like that.

The only way to know for sure is to get a location company in to check.

In my case the council plans show that the stormwater was in the property behind and there was no indication that we had sewage, in older parts of Auckland they were together.

Anyway when the garden collapsed one day they put a camera in the drain and the stormwater was on our property ( the damages was casued by the drainlayer 50 years ago ) and 2.1m deep. the Sewage even though not on the map at the time was 1.5m away.

Now Auckland council have corrected thir maps.

Anyway dont trust anything anyone tells you, dig carefully and maybe get a location company to give a more informed decisision on depth.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

roobarb

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#1475366 20-Jan-2016 13:37

Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once...

Jase2985

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#1475489 20-Jan-2016 15:37

where are you? if you are in auckland the GIS viewer has most of the info you need

Sounddude

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#1475494 20-Jan-2016 15:46

Vector don't have plans for their minor gas lines (gas lines going into houses). They also won't come and tell you where they are either.

I cut mine when building a fence :(

solival

160 posts

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#1475512 20-Jan-2016 16:03

Thanks for answers.

I'm in Lower Hutt. Will ask council again, may be they will suggest someone who knows company that laid these pipes.

Geek originally from Ukraine :)

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Hammerer

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#1475533 20-Jan-2016 16:30

First place to go with Hutt City Council is online. You can do a Property Enquiry on a property - search by address - and in the plan view turn on the layers you want to see (e.g. services, aerials for 2013) - layer icon is bottom left of window - and turn off those you don't want (e.g. District Plan, Ward Boundaries):

http://www.huttcity.govt.nz/Services/Rates-and-property/Searching-property-information/

Edited post to add additional info.

solival

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#1475602 20-Jan-2016 18:06

Sounddude:

...

I cut mine when building a fence :(

Was it big disaster? How much it cost you if not a secret?

Geek originally from Ukraine :)

solival

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#1475604 20-Jan-2016 18:09

Hammerer:

First place to go with Hutt City Council is online.

Yeah, thanks, I found there waste water plans (in the council they have exactly the same service). Unfortunately, water is shown only to external valve but not further to house, and no gas pipes.

Geek originally from Ukraine :)

afe66

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#1475645 20-Jan-2016 19:16

Old LIM reports ?

When we bought our house we got copies of all the changes made to the section for which council had permits back to 1918...

The original sewer lines, drainage lines, new pipes laid when garage built on old lines etc.

Sounddude

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#1475803 21-Jan-2016 02:42

solival:

Was it big disaster? How much it cost you if not a secret?

Wasn't fun. Involved a fire engine and 2 cop cars at each end of the street to seal it off.

Fire guys used their BA's get to the pipe to seal the leak and then Vector jumped in and fixed the pipe.

No call out for the fire or the cops (this time), but about $300 from vector to fix the pipe.

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

solival

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#1475835 21-Jan-2016 07:28

Sounddude:

No call out for the fire or the cops (this time), but about $300 from vector to fix the pipe.

Cheaper than LIM report :)

Geek originally from Ukraine :)

1eStar

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#1475885 21-Jan-2016 09:02

Hand dig with a spade. Most underground services will have something laid over top to warn you of their presence. If a line has been thrust it won't have any tape above it, but you will have difficulty hand digging thru most pipes anyway. When I worked in soil testing always used to 'pothole' (hand dig) down some distance before we let the machines at it. If it's electricity, telecoms etc you can get them located for you for peace of mind.

nickb800

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#1475929 21-Jan-2016 09:47

1eStar: Hand dig with a spade. Most underground services will have something laid over top to warn you of their presence. If a line has been thrust it won't have any tape above it, but you will have difficulty hand digging thru most pipes anyway. When I worked in soil testing always used to 'pothole' (hand dig) down some distance before we let the machines at it. If it's electricity, telecoms etc you can get them located for you for peace of mind.

Pretty much this. Assuming a flat section built as part of a subdivision, various underground services are likely to be run in a straight line - from the point that they enter your house to the toby/pedestal/manhole. Use this principle to guide your 'potholing' to positively ID their location.

Phone can be pretty delicate if it's direct buried, and the thin black cable can be confused for tree roots. Meant to be 500mm deep but naturally people get lazy in rocks and tree roots so might be shallower. Stormwater is generally quite shallow if it enters your street through the curb - might have less than 100mm cover at the boundary. Sewer might be quite deep (e.g. mine is 1.2m down). If your sewer runs to a manhole in the street, then pop open the lid (when no-ones looking) and measure the depth that lateral pipes enter - it will slope gradually up from there (i.e. 1.2m deep in the middle of the street might be 1-1.1m at your boundary), but it gives you a starting point.

Also remember that the plans submitted to council may indicate what they planned to do - not what they actually did (as-builts)

DarthKermit

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#1475943 21-Jan-2016 10:01

How old is your house? If it's as old as ours (early 1950's) then most councils have limited records from that time.

The newer it is, the more details they will (should) have of the house build and location of services like water and sewer lines.

They should be able to photocopy the relevant records for a few bucks a page.

You probably won't find services like gas/power/phone on the council records however, as these aren't council services.

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