Searching for buried water line

[Mary in Texas]

We recently purchased one acre of land with community water. We moved our mobile home onto the land and we are trying to do as much as possible on our own to save money. The water meter is near the road in the corner of the property. We can't seem to find the location where the water pipes come out of the ground near the mobile home. We do see the sewer pipes and have already connected the electrical wires, but can't find the water lines. Can anyone suggest how we can locate the lines without digging up the entire 1/2 acre we have for a front yard?
Thanks

 

[Doherty Plumbing]

Rent a metal detector? But that could be a bit ambiguous.

I'd suggest you have someone come out and trace the line for you but that would probably be somewhat expensive.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Gary Swart]

Problem with metal detectors is they may not penetrate deep enough to find the pipe. I fear a locator company is your best bet, but it will cost.

 

[Nukeman]

Am I missing something? Most utility companies will locate all of your lines for free.

Around here, you go to http://www.missutilityofvirginia.com/ or call 811. I'm sure they have something similar in TX. The utility companies don't want you breaking their gas lines or cutting through their cables. Search around online or check your phone book. In the phone book, it is probably towards the front in the government/city/utility section. You could also try calling who you pay for water to see if they can locate the lines for you.

 

[JohnjH2o1]

There may not be a water line. I are area it's up to you to run the water line from the meter to the mobile home.

John

 

[hj]

locating

Here, the utility companies ONLY locate their lines up to the meters, and this situation is after the meter. Hopefully it is a metal pipe that a locating device can trace the route.

 

[Nukeman]

I guess it depends on where you are. I know in Oregon (where I am originally from) and the states surrounding VA, they mark everything in the area you will be working. For instance, if you tell them you are putting a pool in the back, they will mark anything that runs in that area.

Check the phone book, the web, and your local water company and see what they do in your area.

 

[hj]

locating

WE also mark the area where we are going to work, but they ONLY find the utilities' feed lines. They do NOT find any user installed lines of ANY kind. One reason being, that if they did it and missed something, for any reason, the homeowner or contractor would be within their rights to sue them for damages since they relied on the service to be complete. If they miss a location for a utility line, THEY fix it, but if you do NOT call them for a location and damage their line, then you pay them and they do not work fast or cheap.

 

[SoInBoy]

Old Timers trick

I've located lines before by using a peach tree limb in the shape of an upside down "Y".. Hold the two legs of the "Y" and walk across your yard and when you cross a pipe, the remaining leg will bend and point straight down..

Has anybody else of ever tried this?

 

[hj]

dowsing

It only works if you are a "believer". I have seen property that looked like a Beirut landscape after the dowser told them all the places the sewer line WAS. Each time, he said, "Well, there was something down there." Then I told them where it was, and it was on the other side of the building.