Water main - hydrocarbon contamination? All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[gabwaa]

I am in the process of laying a new water main. We have dug and laid it under the foundations and out to the road.

Whilst digging under the floorboards I found a patch of what seems to be bitumen type material. Practically solid but
quite smelly. I believe it may have been the material originally used for type of damp proof course when the property was built (circa 1900).

I hear that MDPE pipe should not be used where there is a chance that the soil is contaminated with hydrocarbons. But I think this must come up alot as the bitumen material would have been used commonly at the time.

It would be a real pain to relay the pipe at this stage. Can anyone provide any guidance as to whether or not it is necessary to do so?

What effect could the bitumen have on the MDPE pipe?

Thanks

G

[TheDoctor5]

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