Is this sewer manhole correct?

[JohnParker]

Hi all
I am new to the forum and would like to start with a question if i may.
This is a photo inside a manhole in our front garden. The Left Hand pipe is the incoming side and this is fed from a manhole in the back garden that collects together water/sewage from the various foul pipes and gutters. The Right Hand pipe is the outgoing side and goes under the road presumably to the main pipe.
This arrangement looks back to front to me as the incoming pipe is under the water line and the outgoing pipe is above the waterline, so the waste needs to travel upwards to exit?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
John

 

[Old Account]

Hello johnparker,


I have worked quite often with manholes and usually they are known as interceptors, these are a common place for blockages in the drains to occur.



the right hand site top one is closed because of rats and to prevent sewer air from venting.
if you have similar pipe installation I think a lil blockage. Sometimes you have both sites in level ( but whole pipe length is with a fall ) ,

obviously liquid will never run up to the hill.

 

[REDSAW]

not your problem as its a shared drain. call severn trent or whoever is your water provider to sort free of charge.
looks like blockage to me!

 

[Old Account]

Any issue call 07784311734

 

[jonnyswamp]

Just looks blocked further down the line to me, ring your local water authority

 

[johnnyplumb]

it's known as a Buchan trap, probably after the Buchan idiot that designed it :2guns:
also known as an interceptor trap and used to prevent vermin entering the pipe.

 

[snowhead]

Under the right hand pipe, below water level is the normal outlet.
It has a "U" bend in it and will be blocked.

You'll quite often find a cast iron short stub vent pipe fixed to a nearby wall that vents downstream of the outlet.

Quite often it will clear with just a rod with a plunger on it.
A wheely bin half full of water tipped down it might also shift it. (not the bin, just the water..)

 

[joni os]

As above. You have an interceptor manhole. The right outlet is a rodding eye and should be sealed with a stopper, ( plastic replacement stoppers are available).
With rodding eye sealed build up of water in the manhole siphons and self cleans the U bend.
With rodding eye open U bend collects solids and blocks.
Plunger on drain rod, pumped up and down, normally sufficient to clear U bend.

 

[JohnParker]

Many thanks to all, i can now see what the problem is.
This manhole is only fed from our property. It is about 12 feet from the house and about 2 feet from the pavement and the outlet points straight out to the road.
Does anyone know if this is our problem or the water authority?

 

[Old Account]

Hello johnparker,

I'd say it's still your issue but can't promise it.

It shouldn't be a hard job if you use some long cleaning rods and a garden hose to flush through. But you sometimes it's the easiest things become a nightmare.

If it turns out its your problem try first before calling somebody if you could clean it yourself.

 

[snowhead]

Does anyone know if this is our problem or the water authority?

Your's

It's only when the drain is shared by more than one property that it becomes a sewer and the responsibility of the local Water company.

 

[lame plumber]

just rod it for 5 mins and it will all work ok again

 

[JohnParker]

Hi all
Had an enjoyable afternoon inside the man hole yesterday. The u-bend was full of building debris and the remains of the old rodding eye bung. All is clear now so just need to replace the bung.
Once inside i noticed a 4inch pipe entering the manhole at high level which looks like it is coming from one of the road surface water drains. I poured 2 buckets down each of the drains in the road but nothing came out of the pipe. I enquired with the water authority and they are sending someone out FOC to investigate. Would be good to know if it is a shared drain in case of any future issues and they can replace the bung if it is shared.
Thanks again for all your help
John

 

[Old Account]

You are very welcome !!! I remember one day I had a blockage right to the top of the manhole and it was a shared system. Literally 3 block of flats I knew it wasn't my job but as kind as I am I did the job .... Was an experience worth it hahah.

The funny thing is to find the right interceptor which was blocked at that time you just poke everywhere just to find the right waste to get rid of the blockage but after an hour all cleared. Plumbing is not always a pleasure but without experience you won't get anywhere.