David Paul
Well-known member
Ok, I’ve been following this for fun to see what the mystery source is. You can’t leave us hanging like this. 
Tracing a mystery pipe
- Thread starter MOS3522
- Start date
Old Moparz
Well-known member
I see you were able to trace it to a certain point, but it would be great to find the source so you know what you are up against later if there is another failure.
Where does the direction of the pipe after the 90° bend point to?
Neighbor's house?
A low area in the yard?
Another structure?
If it points to a neighbor, how long has that person been living there? The current owner may be clueless about anything a previous owner had done.
Where does the direction of the pipe after the 90° bend point to?
Neighbor's house?
A low area in the yard?
Another structure?
If it points to a neighbor, how long has that person been living there? The current owner may be clueless about anything a previous owner had done.
Just_Steve
Well-known member
There is no way in hell I would tie it into my drain system without knowing the source because if years from now some kind of pollutant flows through it into the creek YOU are going to be responsible for the remediation. Keep in mind the DEP don't play around.
worked at a job about 8 yrs ago and we FINALLY got new fiber installed to alleviate bottleneck issues on our campus. they were like "how we going to run this line?". found that we had an old unused fire alarm wiring system in a 3-4" pipe. even better it runs straight as a shot to our building from maintenance!
so they ran the line until the first juncture box at ground level where it then made .... a 90 degree bend to the left. WTH? ...and proceeded to the next building over into the basement! and then there was an open conduit from that basement into ours. ok, who TH designed this?
so we got our new fiber line in but also learned not to make assumptions based on common sense...especially since they had already pre-cut that fiber section to about 1100ft. with the unknown re-direction, they barely made it to the server room to terminate the line.
bwringer
Well-known member
I can't wait to hear how this "scream test" comes out.
Seriously, we are INVESTED in this mystery. This is bigger and better than Al Capone's vault.
Remember the guy that found the hidden room and tape recording in his attic?I can't wait to hear how this "scream test" comes out.
Seriously, we are INVESTED in this mystery. This is bigger and better than Al Capone's vault.
Just_Steve
Well-known member
Hopefully not to another part of your yard
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Pick you up a Firnco cap--a big rubber cap with pipe clamp--and close off the end of the pipe the water is coming from. You'll soon enough find out what the source is!
Kinda like a friend of mine who traced the wiring in his house by shorting out an out let to see which breaker popped :0
Beat me to the punch!
Waiting eagerly for the outcome....
Kinda like a friend of mine who traced the wiring in his house by shorting out an out let to see which breaker popped :0
Beat me to the punch!
Waiting eagerly for the outcome....
BillK
Well-known member
I agree. There is no way on earth that I would simply tie that into the other system without knowing exactly where the water is coming from. Thats just asking for trouble.
PassnThru
Well-known member
It sounded like from your previous post that it veered off of your property.
I would have done the same.
No doubt that it will eventually cause a problem for someone upstream but you aren't responsible for some agreement that some people made previously.
The only way to really deal with it now is to know the source.
alfadan
Well-known member
Just wait for the loud rumbling sound and the neighbor's toilet goes flying through the roof!
At least it would if this was an 80s comedy movie.
At least it would if this was an 80s comedy movie.
bwringer
Well-known member
First dump in about half a pound of pink glitter.
alfadan
Well-known member
That's how I found where the hole in my water main was last year, started bubbling in a couple minutes.
Hooked
Well-known member
So the plumber only scoped one direction?
At the rate you said it was flowing seems like it shouldn't take long for someone to notice a problem.
At the rate you said it was flowing seems like it shouldn't take long for someone to notice a problem.
The downstream direction was thoroughly blocked because of the cracked pipe and scoping wasn't possible, but I know it ran about another 25 feet to the old muddy spot which was about 20 more feet to the river.
larry4406
Well-known member
I have heard of hide and seek, but never cap and seek.
This will be interesting.
This will be interesting.
alfadan
Well-known member
Could always run it up and have a free fountain.
BillK
Well-known member
I dont know about the rest of you but if that was on my property I wouldnt be able to sleep at night until I found out where the water was coming from.
Just_Steve
Well-known member
Hooked
Well-known member
Looks like the area on our church property after I finally found a water line leak many years back.
HoosierBuddy
Well-known member
That was my thought as well and makes the OP's aversion to asking the city to come out and take a look very well placed.
I still would to have like to know if the water had chlorine in it. As it's clear water and runs near constantly (it seems) a water leak on a municipal main or private service line seems a likely source.
bluedog225
Well-known member
Geez. I’d love to have a water source like that. As long as it was on the other side of my meter collect, it tested and put it in water tank.
A lot of older houses on the street including mine have grandfathered stormwater discharge allowance. That was commonly done for many years because of the complicated situation with riparian rights on the river, to ensure maximum water flow gets in the river and is not wasted in the ground.
I don’t think it’s been allowed since the early 70’s and that’s why I have chosen to cap the mystery line rather than drain it. I don’t want to risk a violation as my existing system is permitted and legal.
So far no backup anywhere, I am watching.
I don’t think it’s been allowed since the early 70’s and that’s why I have chosen to cap the mystery line rather than drain it. I don’t want to risk a violation as my existing system is permitted and legal.
So far no backup anywhere, I am watching.
bluedog225
Well-known member
At the farthest point they traced, where does the line point? Off into an empty area or at a structure?
Any neighbors on vacation this week?
TxSteve
Well-known member
Looked like my place when I was trying to find the route for all the water lines for irrigation/livestock last year....Looks like the area on our church property after I finally found a water line leak many years back.
Leaflessshadetree
Well-known member
I probably would have extended it 20 ft to the creek, especially if I suspected it as contributing to unwanted wet areas.
It heads straight for a neighbor's house, but could also just be going around my house if there is another 90 degree elbow.
I like that neighbor, so I had checked if he as a sump pump running (no) and I alerted him to watch for any backup. So far nothing.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
He was one of the casualties when a 100' tall geyser erupted in the middle of the night, instantly inundating the entire neighborhood with ten feet of water.
RIP, and a PSA: Don't cap off lines if you don't know where they come from!
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Beerhippie
Well-known member
Still prefer my story.
RPH
Well-known member
Meanwhile, on the other side of the hill, where the unknown pipe started.
yhprum
Well-known member
Wondering if one of those ground radar or sonar machines would find or follow it to the source? Like the ones they use to find bodies.