Replacement of 300 ft Underground Water Pipe

Welcome back to Happi Plumbing Channel.

I’d like to share an interesting plumbing case with you: a trenchless replacement of 300 feet of underground water pipe.

Customer concerns:

The underground water line had already been repaired twice this year due to leaks, and recently another leak was found.

Step 1: Diagnosis and Solution

After reviewing previous repair records and photos, we found the customer’s underground water line was made of black poly and had been in use for over 40 years. We advised the customer to replace the entire underground water line.

Black poly typically has a service life of 30–50 years when buried. We recommended upgrading to PEX piping, which has an expected underground service life of 50–100 years.

We surveyed the customer’s property — the distance from the water meter to the house is 300 feet, passing under a long section of the neighbor’s driveway. Our plan was to use trenchless installation for most of the route to minimize disruption to the driveway and landscaping.

Step 2: Call 811

After the customer agreed to our proposal and pricing, we called 811 to mark all public underground utilities in the work zone.

Step 3: Locate Pipe with Transmitter

Using a transmitter, we mapped out the underground path of the existing water line and measured its depth to develop a trenchless strategy.

Based on prior leak detection results, we used an excavator to expose the leaking section and cut into the pipe to insert the transmitter.

The entire 300-foot line was buried at approximately 1 foot deep.

We planned to install 200 feet via trenchless method along the driveway, and the remaining 100 feet near the house by open trenching using an excavator.

Step 4: Install Trenchless Pull Cable

We installed a guide steel cable for the trenchless pull.

We also captured some fun during the work. Look, our technician sleeved the 300-foot PEX pipe over it — looked a bit like the Michelin Man!

At joints or sections the cable couldn’t pass through, we used a camera to locate the obstacle and excavated as needed.

Step 5: Trenchless Pull

We pulled the new 200-foot pipe underground in two sections using the trenchless method.

Step 6: Excavator Work

We used an excavator to dig and install the remaining 100-foot section of pipe near the house.

Step 7: Install Pressure Regulator and Main Shutoff Valve

We installed a pressure-reducing valve and a main water shutoff near the water meter.

Step 8: Connect Pipes and Test System

We connected the new water line, turned on the water, and performed pressure testing.

Step 9: Backfill

We backfilled all excavation areas.

Final Step: Customer Inspection and Completion

The customer inspected the final result — a full 300-foot underground water line with no joints. The trenchless installation perfectly preserved the driveway and landscaping, and the customer was extremely happy!