Detecting underground water line?

[Bassadict69]

Over the years growing up in this house, I know of two different wells, neither of which are being used because of a community water system coming in and Dad switched over to it so there is no telling where the supply line comes in. Now, I am needing to determine where the main supply coming into the house runs.

The back corner of my house is a utility room and the hot water heater sits in the outside corner of that room. There is a wet spot in my yard at that corner so I have a leak somewhere. I have dug some hoping to find a supply line leaking at a point I can get to , but I have not even located a line. The hole I dug holds water and fills back up shortly after I empty it so I do know there is a leak there somewhere.

What is best way to find the supply line and where it comes into the house?
What options do I have if my leak is under the slab as it appears it is?

 

[Terry]

There are outfits that can locate pipes. Sometimes they disconnect one side, fill it with a gas and then use a device to detect it.

I sometimes will take a metal coat hanger and make two els from the wire and use those to witch for the line.
I'm sure someone will now post that the method doesn't work.
But they should at least try it sometime before discounting what works for others.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bluebinky]

There are outfits that can locate pipes. Sometimes they disconnect one side, fill it with a gas and then use a device to detect it.

I sometimes will take a metal coat hanger and make two els from the wire and use those to witch for the line.
I'm sure someone will now post that the method doesn't work.
But they should at least try it sometime before discounting what works for others.

It worked for me the last time I did it (about 35 years ago).

 

[Bassadict69]

Care to elaborate on witching? I wasn't aware that was something that actually worked!

 

[Craigpump]

I use 3 tools to find buried wells and or follow water lines

1) Shoenstadt locator, it detects ferrous metals like well casing, corrugated steel well tiles etc

2) Fisher TW-6 wire tracer, if you have poly pipe break the fittings apart and slide an electricians snake out and follow directions with the instrument

3) My mini excavator

All three are available at a good contractors rental place

 

[Cacher_Chick]

I would think that in LA the pipe is only about 2 feet below grade. Where i am, more often than not the pipe is a straight shot from the house to the municipal shut-off at the street. If is is galvanized pipe coming into the house, you might try following it out with a metal detector.

 

[Bassadict69]

Luckily, I found my leak just outside the slab, just before they main supply line disappeared under the slab. I was able to fix it really easy!