Water Line Break

hayes · Nov 29, 2001

Well, it happened sooner than I thought. I ran a water line to a new barn a couple of weeks ago, everything went OK. Filled in the trench and waited for some rain to pack it down. Hired a guy to do some work on the barn, Finally got some rain
along with sleet and ice. While barn guy was backing up his truck and trailer he crossed over the water line and sank down and got stuck. Long stroy short, came home after work
and found a new ungerground spring had sprung up. Except we have no underground springs. Evedentually the pressure from the pickup must have broke my 2" water line.

So I know what my weekend project is going to be.

Any suggestions as to how to tell exactly where it is broke without digging up a 10' section??? The water broke surface about 4' from where he got stuck at.

Boy I wish I had a backhoe for the tractor....

Larry

Bird · Nov 29, 2001

Larry, I use a probe to find water lines (of course you know where yours is); 3' long steel rod with a "T" on top for a handle (probably can buy one at almost any hardware store), but if the water is on and you start probing, wherever you get the most water is likely very close to the leak. I had a water line pull loose from a "T" in the line and the water was coming up through the ground 6' from the line. Not a lot of fun.

TWINKLE_TOES · Nov 29, 2001

Hayes,

I found a break in my line (600ft) within a foot by sticking the end of broken shovel handle in the ground an placing the other end in my ear. Obiviously pressure has to be applied for the water to make any sound from the leak. A better way is go shopping for a backhoe for your JD790, when are you going to find a better excuse/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Al

JJT · Nov 29, 2001

Hindsight is always 20/20 but I always bury my water and electric lines in 4 inch sewer/drain pipe.

Turfman · Nov 29, 2001

If the water is still running take a 5 foot length of 2" PVC pipe and set a styrofoam cup on the top of it with the bottom of the cup up. Put the open end of the pipe on the water line trench and lay the flat portion of a stethoscope on the bottom of the cup. Move the pipe around a bit and you'll hear which direction the leak is coming from. Move that way and keep listening. Eventually you will hear it coming back from where you have been already and you'll know that the leak is between the spot you're at and the last spot you checked.

Works great on sprinker leaks.
Kevin