Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Digging in my backyard for a pond project and discovered this about 2½' down. I can't figure what it is since it doesn't run between any two areas with utiliity connections/activity. And, since the property is accessed from front and back by water, power, gas, sewer, I can't even imagine why this would exist mid-property.
The home is from 1918, fwiw. This could be old stuff… and could be connected to the strange, local practice of using clay/iron blend piping long ago (apparently it was a cheap, local mix that worked fairly well when our water was more basic).
Any thoughts on:
What is it? and
How do I proceed on removing it?
Impossible to even guess without some context. What is located in either direction? It looks like you're excavating for something. Has a locator service marked out the area? If it's not an active public utility you would need to hire a locator yourself.
2.5' down indicates it was put at that depth because of some code. I would go down to the county offices looking for plat maps, easements, past permits, and such. I would also bring someone out from zoning or county offices before doing much of anything more.
Based on the age of your house, it could be an abandoned steel pipe which you may never determine what it’s purpose was.
You should account for and determine all of your current utilities that service your house and exactly where they are located prior to disturbing that unknown newly exposed pipe, if you do need to remove it.
The section of pipe you see is running E - W on a property in urban Tucson that also runs E - W. At the east end of the lot (left in the photo) is our home (1918) which has access directly off the Avenue to all utilities (water, sewer, gas, electric). To the other direction, west or right in the photo, is the 'casita' or guest house which sits along the other Avenue and similarly has direct access to all utilities from there. In short, this is sort of in the middle of the lot and without any immediately obvious use.
I'll have to check county offices (thanks @Harry Chickpea).
I'll also call "Bluesteak" to see if they know although I think they'll say that they have no records. We'll see!
Quite the country. That service, known as Bluesteak here in Arizona, was called in over a month ago. The thing is, while I’ve accounted for all of the utilities from the street to the house, this location fell way outside anyone’s consideration. And therein lies part of the confusion: I can’t figure any reason for why there would be any utilities in this part of the yard.
Regardless, I’ve already called blue steak back to consider the spot in particular.
All your current utilities could have been marked/accounted for- that would either confirm/deny this pipe as a current utility.
^^^^Yes, calling for in a mark-out at 811 should have been the first step prior to any excavation, it’s the law!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
