Ok here is where I am at. I have an out building that I need to run water and electric out to. I have searched the IRC code and NEC code (as much as I could anyway). I always thought you needed a 3' separation between the two? Either with a separate trench or a shelf when digging. I would like to dig one trench due to the amount of rock I need to remove to get this done (probably why it's never had any). Can anyone shed some light on this from either code? Believe it or not I called twice to my local building dept and sends me to voice mail for both the plumbing inspector and electrical inspector (that was a week ago with no call back). Thanks for any help.
Water and Electric same trench?
- Thread starter sixty4
- Start date
pattenp
Well-known member
There is no NEC restriction but you could have some local code restriction. What is the required bury depth for water pipes in your area?
42" is code.
How far are you trenching ??
I'd always want 2 trenches in case something goes wrong. 3 ft apart sounds like a good plan.
One trench 42" or more deep for your water.
Another trench 36" deep with 2" conduit for electrical . . . then backfill 12" dirt after some sand then another 1" conduit at 24" depth for low voltage CATV, internet, phone, security, etc.
UPDATE GJ PROFILE with a Location.
I'd always want 2 trenches in case something goes wrong. 3 ft apart sounds like a good plan.
One trench 42" or more deep for your water.
Another trench 36" deep with 2" conduit for electrical . . . then backfill 12" dirt after some sand then another 1" conduit at 24" depth for low voltage CATV, internet, phone, security, etc.
UPDATE GJ PROFILE with a Location.
zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
Id keep as much distance as possible between the 2 trenches,If tough enough trying to dig around 1 utility at a time.
Thanks going 236' from house to out building, all rock except about 20' I hope.
^ ^ ^ If that is two trenches of 36 ft . . not so bad.
IF . . . that's . . . . 236 ft . . . likely the whole way in rock . . . . OUCH !!
Yes 236 feet is correct, that's why I am hoping not to do two trenches.
checkthisout
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2008
- Messages
- 5,232
12 inches seperation, any direction. I mean...at least that's what it is here.
For rock, a big excavator and a small bucket and then use vertical seperation.
I would put the water line in conduit as well due to the rock issue.
For rock, a big excavator and a small bucket and then use vertical seperation.
I would put the water line in conduit as well due to the rock issue.
teamextreme
Well-known member
Back fill your ditch 12" or so and add some red caution tape, then cover it up. If you ever have to get into the ditch again, you will dig up the caution tape first. Take pics of your ditch and put them where you can(t) find them for a later date. I always try to dig the ditch in a straight line (If possible) from point to point.
Last edited:
cdestuck
Well-known member
Put the elect above the water in one trench. What the craps gonna happen????
nadogail
Well-known member
IMHO, putting them both in the same trench seems to be more efficient.
zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
Yeah,That way you can hit them both with the backhoe bucket when your looking for them.
MagKarl
Well-known member
I like to backfill water and gas with sand, safe, solid bedding and easy to see when you dig into it.
Can you even get a plastic water line located? I know with electrical and water in the same trench, at least the electrical can be located and I know where to get off the backhoe and dig by hand and find both in the same area.
Can you even get a plastic water line located? I know with electrical and water in the same trench, at least the electrical can be located and I know where to get off the backhoe and dig by hand and find both in the same area.
zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
Youd have to bury a wire with it.
inphx
Well-known member
I had similar issue - trench cut to allow for legal separation, power company inspects first, then fill a bit and put water on other edge and city inspects.
I highly recommend 1 trench unless your local area requires otherwise. I'd place the water at the depth required by local code, this has to do with the frost line.. in the area... Then I'd place the electrical about 1 foot above that, then above that conduit for low voltage (alarm, ethernet, TV, etc.) Then 6-12" from the ground place a caution tape. That way if you are digging with equipment hopefully you find the tape first. IF you miss the tape you'll first hit the low voltage conduit, then the higher voltage power, and lastly the water line. Basically with them all vertical in the same trench, you only have to locate 1 of them, and if you've found one, you've found them all and you won't have to worry about digging into another one several feet away.
Burying everything in the same trench with some spacing might get more tricky if your frost line is 2" because you live in an area that doesn't freeze... If your water line is only buried 24" down, it makes it difficult to stack everything vertically... The electrical must be 24" deep or 18" deep if in conduit. The electrical and water won't interfere, but placing the electrical and low voltage too close could in theory cause interference with the low voltage... In my 200' run to my shop I put everything in the same trench. Water at 3-4' then electrical in conduit about 1' above that. I put the low voltage conduit about 6-10" away but alongside the power conduit. I didn't get time to place a caution tape before the contractors filled in the trench
Brian
Burying everything in the same trench with some spacing might get more tricky if your frost line is 2" because you live in an area that doesn't freeze... If your water line is only buried 24" down, it makes it difficult to stack everything vertically... The electrical must be 24" deep or 18" deep if in conduit. The electrical and water won't interfere, but placing the electrical and low voltage too close could in theory cause interference with the low voltage... In my 200' run to my shop I put everything in the same trench. Water at 3-4' then electrical in conduit about 1' above that. I put the low voltage conduit about 6-10" away but alongside the power conduit. I didn't get time to place a caution tape before the contractors filled in the trench
Brian
OP . . . . also get grid paper and actually plot drawing (TO SCALE) of where your trench is located.
Put a permanent copy next to both the Main Electrical Panel . .
. . . along with the main Water Shutoff in house. You WILL like having that information later (if any locates are necessary) . . .
. . . . AND . . . . future homeowners will LOVE you !!!
Put a permanent copy next to both the Main Electrical Panel . .
. . . along with the main Water Shutoff in house. You WILL like having that information later (if any locates are necessary) . . .
. . . . AND . . . . future homeowners will LOVE you !!!
I like the graph paper idea. I would also take pictures of the opened trench showing the trench in relation to other fixed objects like buildings and trees. Then PRINT the pictures. Store the pictures along with the graph paper drawings. I especially like the idea of storing the paper copies next to the breaker box, water supply, etc. I'd place the paper documents in a ziplock bag to protect them.
I had an odd idea for locating the trench at a later date... Has anyone laid rebar lengthwise in the trench about 6" from the top? My thought would be that you could then use a standard metal detector to detect and mark the trench. Otherwise you have to use a special wire tracer equipment to locate your buried electrical wires. I don't know if it's a good or bad idea, it was just a thought.
I had an odd idea for locating the trench at a later date... Has anyone laid rebar lengthwise in the trench about 6" from the top? My thought would be that you could then use a standard metal detector to detect and mark the trench. Otherwise you have to use a special wire tracer equipment to locate your buried electrical wires. I don't know if it's a good or bad idea, it was just a thought.
archy99
Active member
Just found this thread, since I'm getting ready to run new feeds for power, water and data out to my new garage. For my new water main (1-1/4" PEX), they taped a vinyl coated wire to the pipe as they laid it in the trench, just for this reason. Some of the warning "tapes" are metal foil for this purpose as well.
bad_idea
Well-known member
Thread Necromancy! I have a similar situation and want to be sure the code hasn't changed in the last 4 years. Is it still code compliant to put water and electric in the same trench? Thanks all.
johnnyradiant
Well-known member
Just had my trench inspected a couple weeks ago with both visible at the same time. I only need to be below 18" from top of here for water. Went down closer to 2' with about a 30"-36" wide trench. I like the thought of not having to interfere with any service than the one I need access to, or in my case the next owner or my kids.
Dick in Wisconsin
Well-known member
We have sanitary sewer line, two water lines (soft and hard), plus conduits for electricity, phone, and data all the the same trench between the house and the detached race shop. This was installed in 2014.
Since we have a basement, the individual pipes go through the basement wall. Easy to see.
I like the red tape for "Buried Electrical Line".
Since we have a basement, the individual pipes go through the basement wall. Easy to see.
I like the red tape for "Buried Electrical Line".