Hole in well supply pipe going through concrete wall

[TurboMan]

Have water coming through a hole in a concrete wall where the well supply pipe is. Pipe is 1 1/2 inch diameter that almost feels like rubber. Water only comes through when well is activated. Hole is about 5 1/2 feet below the ground level. Going to hire someone to do this. Just wanted to know what would be the way someone would fix it - from the inside or outside the house? I would think it would be easier to enlarge the hole and fix it from the inside. But then again there is no way to know exactly where the hole is.

Just want to know how much work is involved and roughly how much it will cost.

 

[Reach4]

So you think your problem leaking is from ground water? If so, you would fix that from the outside. It is probably ground water. That would happen more after you have had rain a few days ago. A lot of hydraulic cement, or maybe some nice sealant. You cannot stop the ground water from the inside.

If the problem is that somehow pressurized well water is leaking out, that would need replacing the water-carrying pipe. If that blue pipe is big enough, you could run 3/4 SIDR polyethylene thru that. My house is fed that way thru I think a 1-1/4 inch galvanized pipe that goes thru the basement wall.

 

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[WorthFlorida]

If you are absolutely sure it is the blue pipe leaking since it seems to leak when the pump is running, there is no way to know exactly where. Since the wall is probably 8" thick it would be a big hole needed and it is not easy breaking concrete for foundations. I suspecting after thousands of pump cycles, the blue pipe vibrated or moved so slightly, the concrete wore a hole into the pipe.
From the water stains it looks like it's ground or rain water and the leak just maybe recent.

 

[Jeff H Young]

I think I read it only leaks when pump is activated (meaning running) so I agree its the pipe that's leaking . soil outside the wall likely / or possibly sank bringing the pipe down . how about pulling the hose clamp and looking inside the pipe see if you see anything you'll be able to see a foot inside?

 

[TurboMan]

Didn't think about the soil on the wall. That would make me think the hole is outside the wall and when the leak happens it is dragging some outside (dirty) water with it.

 

[Jeff H Young]

yes could be right on edge of wall . large swings of temperature change causing expansion / contraction and abrasion wouldn't be my first guess but possible

 

[Reach4]

I think I read it only leaks when pump is activated (meaning running) so I agree its the pipe that's leaking . soil outside the wall likely / or possibly sank bringing the pipe down . how about pulling the hose clamp and looking inside the pipe see if you see anything you'll be able to see a foot inside?

I missed that. I am still wondering if that symptom wasn't misread.

That would imply there is an inside check valve, which is usually not a good idea. In this case that checkvalve would be a partial workaround.

I don't know costs, but I expect it will depend on your situation and location. That pipe is probably below the frost line. https://www.hammerpedia.com/illinois-frost-line/

The leak could be over at the pitless, and the water travels to the basement. If you turn off the pump, wait a couple hours, and turn the pump back on, how long before the water hits the basement? I am not a pro.

 

[Valveman]

As was said it only leaks when the pump is running because you have a check valve before the pressure tank. The check valve before the pressure tank needs to be removed. That check valve caused water hammer that is probably the reason for the pipe breaking in the first place. And now that there is a hole in the underground pipe, the check valve before the tank is allowing contamination from the dirt to be drawn into the water line when the pump is off. When water is not leaking out, dirt and dog crap is leaking in. Very good example and just one reason to not have any check valves above ground.

 

[Reach4]

I would not want to remove that above-ground check valve until the leak was fixed. But as the leak is fixed, then remove that check valve.

Also, if you don't recognize something as a check valve, show us a photo that includes the end of that blue pipe and the input to the pressure tank. If there is no check valve, we will take some major inference from that.

Do confirm your observation that the leakage only occurs when the pump runs. So if you are going away for a while, how about turning off the pump. See if there was leakage. When things have been dry for a while, and the grass is turning brown, make sure the leakage still happens.

How did you measure that "1 1/2 inch diameter"?

 

[TurboMan]

Sorry. Had a family tragedy. Leak ended up being an anti-siphon valve on the irrigation supply pipe which happens to be above ground directly over the well supply line. So when the anti-siphon valve would leak it was running down the wall through the hole for the well pipe. Forgot to mention we would get some seepage when there would be a heavy rainfall.

Repaired the anti-siphon valve and all is well now.

Thank you everyone.