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Stormwater rectification stage 2

Dave-1
Community Megastar

Stormwater rectification stage 2

This is the second part of my stormwater rectification. Now that the side of the house had been done and I could access it again I needed to redo the stormwater pipe to the front of my boundary. I had calculated that the trench would follow the red line up the block but made a call to follow the old pipe as then I would know where it went for sure. The ground was mostly solid clay and full of large rocks plus builders ruble. I knew that the NBN line in and the power for the lights plus where the sewage pipes were. so figured it wiser to be cautious.

Materials

100mm PVC DWV piping 4 of

PVC Glue

Various angled fittings.

Screw top T piece (Inspection point)

15 degree bends PVC pipe

 

Tools

1800mm crow bar (Fencing bar )

 Shovel flat Long handled

Grinder

Mattock

 

Steps

Step 1

The second half of the stormwater went straight through the patio area. I was intending to save the area as much as possible but as soon as I started work through it, well dodgy bro inc must have been putting it in is all I can say. The stormwater pipe kinked to the left so I though I wouldn't have to remove the posts to the path and then realised the path would have to come up (it was all broken from age and having a tree being chopped down fall on it in sections)

 

01 06-07-2021.jpg

 

The shovel handle shows approximately where I though the pipe was heading... I had lined it up with the first foot/two foot of pipe I had unearthed... 

 

02 06-07-2021.jpg

 

This is the direction I thought the stormwater pipe would take. 

 

03 22-07-2021.jpg

 

Clean up of the patio area as I had to go through it. 

 

04 22-07-2021.jpg

 

Of course the pipe kinks lol Oh well. I was following the pipe anyway.

 

05 22-07-2021.jpg

 

Looks like it will go between the posts or right under one...

 

06 22-07-2021.jpg

 

The concrete area.... Not even true pavers. Just concrete dust scattered and hosed? I really don't know. I did pull them up reasonably carefully as I may reuse them. 

 

08 28-07-2021.jpg

 

The path, what is left of it after sewage work, tree coming down and age.

 

09 28-07-2021.jpg

 

So much soil and coalwash fill

 

10 28-07-2021.jpg

 

The pipe was flattened in sections, 90mm thin pvc pipe had been squashed to maybe 2cm in height.

 

11 28-07-2021.jpg

 

Showing the squashed pipe

 

12 29-07-2021.jpg

 

It took no effort to drive the crowbar down. this is how far it sank into the "fill" btw it is a 6 foot crow bar.

 

13 29-07-2021.jpg

 

The old pipe was filled with clay and silt and squashed flat.

 

14 29-07-2021.jpg

 

The pipe didn't look like it had been disturbed since it was installed.

 

15 29-07-2021.jpg

 

You can see the "concrete" pavers that were used, they are reasonably fragile 

 

16 03-09-2021.jpg

 

Missed the post but sealed the fate of the "retaining wall" built out of pavers stacked on top of each other, no mortar other then the "header" kind of.  (Another project lol)

Step 2

I thought it would be an idea to did all the way then replace the lot instead of doing it in sections. This next part I had to be careful of the NBN, Power and Sewage. I figured I wouldn't have to worry about the water pipe as it is further to the left.

 

17 07-09-2021.jpg

 

Found! The NBN line in :smile:

 

18 08-09-2021.jpg

 

The old stormwater pipe was squashed every meter or so. Over time the clay has compacted the ground around the pipe. It had no chance.

 

I have a bade reputation to hitting pipes so was pretty happy I hadn't.

 

19 12-09-2021.jpg

 

Power for the lights, also power for GPO's on the lights one day, and network to each light just in case. When I put them in I followed the edge of the path. This time the path is going as it was directly underneath it. You can see the sewage inspection point standing up. So all my services are ending up coming up the center of the yard.

 

20 15-09-2021.jpg21 18-09-2021.jpg

 

There was something in the way, It ended up being three huge stones. 

 

22 18-09-2021.jpg

 

Finally through the old retaining wall area. (no foundation so it started leaning as soon as it was broken in the middle.)

 

23 18-09-2021.jpg

 

This is why you don't let builders throw their waste into trenches as fill. The trench was a meter and a half deep at this point and when the excavator came on the block to dig the sewage pipes I suspect the weight compacted the soft clay and squashed the brick flat against the stormwater pipe and that was the final straw. (brick can be seen at top of pic)

 

24 18-09-2021.jpg

 

Through the steps. No foundation other then the mortar for the bessa blocks.

 

25 26-09-2021.jpg

 

Some of the rubble I have dug up.

 

26 15-10-2021.jpg

 

Old steel stormwater pipe that use to go to stormwater pits within the yard. But who would run a new pvc pipe like that?  

 

28 17-10-2021.jpg

 

Dodgy bro inc again. To see a patch that you know hasn't been touchedin 12 years at least!

 

29 17-10-2021.jpg

 

Almost there.

 

30 17-10-2021.jpg

 

So the pipe goes straight into the terracotta pipe that goes across the footpath... Ok.

 

31 21-10-2021.jpg

 

Pulling the old pipes out. These were stuck into the ground like glue (wet clay) and weighed a ton as they were full of wet clay.

 

32 21-10-2021.jpg

 

I am surprised they worked even a little bit.

 

33 25-10-2021.jpg

 

Chopped off the old steel pipe so I could run my new pipe straight.

 

34 25-10-2021.jpg

 

The Terracotta pipe that goes to the gutter. It isnt sloped, in fact dips a little but is clean and empty. There is also a lining inside? I don't want to touch the footpath at all so will leave that in situ.

Step 3

Time to put in the new piping and cover it with gravel. Really wanted to get it done as the project was taking forever to do. Tho once done then the next step would be replacing the retaining wall, ugh.

 

Large Gabion wall build and Small gabion retaining wall 

 

35 27-10-2021.jpg

 

Connecting the stormwater pit near the gate to the run to the street. 

 

36 27-10-2021.jpg

 

Following the trench. I had to use some 15 deg joins to get it around the bends in the trench. I could have dug a new section but was over digging trenches at this point. 

 

37 15-11-2021.jpg

 

The 6m lengths of pipe were a dream! 

 

38 15-11-2021.jpg

 

nice straight un straight down to the footpath.

 

39 15-11-2021.jpg

 

The pipe had to be reduced a little to fit into the terracotta pipe (90mm inside width) also had to join the reducer, the T section and pipe all together and have it inside the terracotta pipe. I managed it but had to step it through in my mind before doing the job otherwise I would have run out of space. I used a threaded T piece as I want to be able to get a high pressure hose in there if needed (By the plumber) The 90mm pipe goes into the terracotta pipe by 500mm from memory. 

 

39b 15-11-2021.jpg

 

Top down view

 

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This is all the pipe I had left over from the stormwater run. :surprised: 

 

41 16-11-2021.jpg

 

The pipe of gravel 5.5T all up. needed maybe 1/2 so my calculations were way off. I did use it all tho :smile:

 

42 16-11-2021.jpg

 

Backfilling to cover the pipe by an inch. There is also an inch under the pipe at least.

 

43 16-11-2021.jpg

 

It felt so good backfilling the trench with gravel.

 

44 17-11-2021.jpg

 

Still not 100% sure on how to rectify this area but have some ideas.

 

45 19-11-2021.jpg

 

I used the smaller concrete gravel as a top layer above the g8mm gravel just to use it up.

 

46 19-11-2021.jpg

 

backfilled with the coalwash and then lay on top.

 

47 22-11-2021.jpg

 

Was good to get the yard levelish again.

 

48 24-11-2021.jpg

 

Backfilled and heaped to allow for settling.

 

49 24-11-2021.jpg

 

Settling after 2 months.

 

50 22-02-2022.jpg

 

So topsoiled it.

 

51 15-01-2022.jpg

 

Worth it! After a storm I would run out to check to see if the pipe was working. No issues and no pooling happening anywhere!

MitchellMc
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Stormwater rectification stage 2

Great work, @Dave-1! Certainly a decent amount of work, but like they say, better to do it right the first time.

 

Many thanks for sharing the detailed pictures and steps you took to complete this project.

 

I'll be looking forward to seeing what project you tackle next.

 

Mitchell

 

See something interesting? Give it the thumbs up!

Re: Stormwater rectification stage 2

Thank you @MitchellMc 

I do admit I take a fair few photos of projects :). Mostly in case I need to go back and see something or explain something to a third party. So many times it turns out none of the photos show the part of what I want to explain! lol 

I have a few more to projects to post before I catch up with the one I am working on now (Courtyard privacy fence and gate build )

I do enjoy seeing peoples projects and how they work through them. It always gives me ideas.

 

Dave

Old-gal24
Amassing an Audience

Re: Stormwater rectification stage 2

@Dave-1 

 

Oh my goodness, I couldn't see how long ago your post was made @Dave-1  I just had to say, thank you for sharing. 

I am in the process of selling my home and had some storm water pipes replace and then discovered my water wasn't going away very fast and during a rather heavy downpour, only to discover the council had cut through the stormwater pipes out on the nature strip, when install natural gas in our area years prior.  AND to make it worse, there has been so much damage in my area, the council have now fobbed it off on to each in home owner to be responsible for such damage.  So I started reading though the posts on this workshop, then I came across your post.  OMG what a mammoth task you have shared with us.  

I hope the water damage wasn't too bad to your homes footings?  and the end outcome was only a positive one.. 

 

Thank you for sharing your amazing work..

 

Old~Gal

Dave-1
Community Megastar

Re: Stormwater rectification stage 2

Evening @Old-gal24 

Happy to say all the stormwater rectifiation work panned out :smile: The pipes do their jub plus the landscaping funnels the surface water around the yard :smile:

Foundations are all happy and a lot drier now.

 

Stormwater pipes I think by their very nature live a hard life :smile: Natural movement, tree roots, people driving over the footpath, and council digging parts up :surprised: Keeping an eye on stuff helps determine when something is going wrong. It felt like a task and a half to start with but once I broke it down into stages it really started following along like building something with lego. :smile:

 

Dave

Old-gal24
Amassing an Audience

Re: Stormwater rectification stage 2

@Dave-1 

Thank you for sharing, and the feedback - work in progress.  All I can say is glad it wasn't me.. 

 

I have an issue here with storm water draining away slowly.  Got a plumber to come out as I couldn't even put the length of my crow bar up my storm water pipe, street end.  He told me that 10 or so years ago, council/natural gas mob put lines in and hacked their way through most of the nature strips in the area.  *(darn great NOT!)  I was told it was councils responsibility, as the house side is all good... After weeks of chasing, Council finely got back to me, telling me that Council will not take responsibility for the issue and council have made it the responsibility of each and every individual home owner.  Which is rather infuriating to be polite.  So yet another job for me to tackle.  Hence my search on here, that lead me to your post.. 

Which I have to say has given me inspiration. 

Thank you 

Old gal

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