Sewer line runs under neighbors yard!!!

[StorehouseDoug]

I've got an aging sewer pipe that has backed up in the past because it has "bellies" and will need to be replaced at some point. I can manage the pipe by not putting a lot of paper down there, but I'd kinda like to rent the house out and upgrade and I'm sure renters cannot be expected to do this.

So long story short is the pipe is going to need to be replaced sooner or later. The kicker is the line doesn't run to a main on either street (it is a corner house), neither street has a sewer main. It instead runs under the neighbors yard to the main in the alley behind his house!!! (His house and the alley are north of me)

So given the length of the line I've been quoted at 27k, plus the awkward and shitty prospect of having to tear up the neighbors yard (I probably have an easement to do so, but it's still awful).

Other maybe possible options might be to instead run it thru an abandoned property to the west of mine that has a bigger yard that extends to the alley, or run the line up the north south road, but this would involve taking the line under the part of my house that is a concreted slab, plus under the sidewalk and tearing up the street.

I've considered maybe there is some way to tunnel the line under the neighbors yard, left a voicemail with one outfit but they never got back to me.

I'd really like to find an option that's more affordable and doesn't require tearing up the neighbors yard.

Oh and I asked the city if they might build a sewer Maine to my property line, but they said no.

Any advice greatly appreciated!

 

[Sparky617]

Have you looked into having it lined? Is that what you mean by tunneling? My neighbor's line and my line run out the backs of our houses across common (HOA) property before hitting the sewer main in the common area in an easement. Gravity being what it is, and that poop only runs down hill that's where they put the sewer line for the houses on my side of the street and those at the top of the hill above me. Neighbors across the street sewer lines run a completely different path and our two lines don't join the same sewer main for about a mile. But there aren't any pumps between my house or theirs and the the sewage plant, save one at the plant that pumps the water into the processing tanks.

Sewer line lining: https://flow-liner.com/?gad_source=1

 

[StorehouseDoug]

Have you looked into having it lined? Is that what you mean by tunneling? My neighbor's line and my line run out the backs of our houses across common (HOA) property before hitting the sewer main in the common area in an easement. Gravity being what it is, and that poop only runs down hill that's where they put the sewer line for the houses on my side of the street and those at the top of the hill above me. Neighbors across the street sewer lines run a completely different path and our two lines don't join the same sewer main for about a mile. But there aren't any pumps between my house or theirs and the the sewage plant, save one at the plant that pumps the water into the processing tanks.

Sewer line lining: https://flow-liner.com/?gad_source=1

Would lining fix the bellies?

By tunneling I meant having some kind of machine like bore a tunnel under the neighbors yard for new pipe to run through.

 

[StorehouseDoug]

Would lining fix the bellies?

By tunneling I meant having some kind of machine like bore a tunnel under the neighbors yard for new pipe to run through.

Another funny detail is that the alley where the main is is actually UPHILL from both my and my neighbors house, as a result the Maine is like 15 feet underground. The people who designed my town were idiots.

 

[bud16415]

One possible solution assuming the line under your neighbors yard is in good condition other than it has low points (bellies) that tend to collect waste and become a problem, would be to install a lift station / grinder pump on your property.



My house is the third house outside the borough and we live in the township. The borough has water and sewer and the township has wells and septic. Some years before we bought the place the 4-5 homes that seem like they should have been in the borough were having septic problems and asked to be connected to the water and sewer and because the sewer line was up hill from the homes a community lift station would have had to be built and the borough and the township didn’t want to get involved. A deal was struck if each homeowner who wanted in would install their own tank and grinder pump they would extend the lines. That is what they did and it seems to work quite well.



Our tank is about 2’ in dia. and about 10-12’ deep. It has a grinder pump at the bottom and a electric float system that turn it on and off and a overflow alarm system that is somehow the float didn’t work we would hear the alarm. The lid is above ground about 6” and held down with 8 stainless bolts. The neighbors is flush with the ground and he mows over it.



If you had such a system it would wait until it built up maybe 70-80 gallons of waste water and solids and then grind and pump it all out under a constant pressure over a time span of a minute or two. The fact it being under pressure and the solids becoming liquefied IMO would solve your problem. The units are not cheap but I would think less cost and a lot less hassle than digging up the neighbors yard.

 

[PJB12]

You mentioned tunneling, StorehouseDoug. When you search for providers, it's called "Directional Boring".
That may be the most economical solution.

I've used it at work many times for electrical conduit much larger than your home's sewer will be. It's quite successful and there are only two reasonably small holes.

Check, too, with liner companies. They are able to correct the dips with mud jacking while they line the pipe. This will involve a very small injection hole at the area of the dip(s). Even if the dirt ever washes out again, the rigid liner will hold the pipe's pitch.

Best of Luck With The Project! Hope it goes smoothly!
Paul

 

[StorehouseDoug]

Paul, and Bud, both good ideas, I'll research them.

Thanks!

 

[PJB12]

Paul, and Bud, both good ideas, I'll research them.

Thanks!

To be honest, StorehouseDoug, if the cost is comparable to my plan; Bud's ejector pump plan will be better than mine if the ground isn't stable. the proper pump won't care about the low spots.

Here's An Extreme Low Spot Example:
I helped my brother run power for & install a sewage ejector pump and line for a rich auto company guy's home on a private island. Going under the lake bottom made quite a large "belly" in the run.

The piping ran underground to near the lake, then it went straight down (still underground) about 30 feet to under the bottom of the lake.

Next it crossed perhaps 100 feet under the lake bed to the mainland shore. Then it went up 40 feet at the mainland shore. (all still underground)

Next was horizontal with 1/8" per foot pitch to municipal waste system. That part of the run was about 1/2 - 3/4 mile.

There have been no troubles or problems, despite the huge belly under the lake. (Note that all of it is below the frost line since it purposefully holds water via the check valve- and the U trap under the lake.)


When done, let us know how your project went! We'd love to learn.

Paul

 

[bud16415]

Correct. As long as the pipe is in good shape and can handle a little pressure it seems to me to be the best plan.



Gravity drainage of liquids and liquids containing solids are two different things. With solids you ether need a slight pitch or totally vertical drop. With a positive pitch that is too steep the liquids will run away from the solids and on a long run the solids wont make it all the way and will move along slowly each time more liquid passes. Any dips or low spots become a real problem as the solids need quite a bit of fluid movement to push them up hill. Along come more solids and before long you have a plug.



With a pump that all changes as the flow speed is much faster and much more flow over a shorter time.



My case isn’t as severe as @PJB12 but my pump pushes it all up hill about 12’ and over a good city block in distance.



When we moved here I had no idea what a grinder pump was and did some research. Watching a video of one being tested the guy threw into a tank of water a sneaker and the pump ground it up and flushed it down the pipe. I thought dang I doubt I will ever flush anything that tough down the toilet.



We have a hot tub with about 400 gallons of 103f water in it. Twice a year I drain and refill it. I could drain it on the yard but seeing as how I pay for the water full price I have the tub drain connected into the grinder pump system. I have removed the cover to keep an eye on all the hot water going thru the tank. By the time the tub is empty the tank is super clean and looks like new. I figure it can’t hurt the pipe as well getting a good flushing.

 

[billshack]

be carefull i once heard that something like this happen and it went to court , you must obtain a right of way to install a sewer line on someones else property , failure to do so means you can not repair or excavate . in the court case the home owner with the neighours sewer line on it won a court settlment of one hundred thousand dollars .