Various regional Water Suppliers are responsible for delivering basically clean wholesome water fed via the water mains your house. The water we get goes through many processes to ensure it is clean and fit for drinking. These include filtering, chlorination, and the addition of fluoride. Trunk mains run underground to supply a series of principal and local mains. Clapham Plumbers understand this system and provide a professional plumbing service. The mains are buried at sufficient depth to make sure that they are not affected by cold or vibration for example heavy lorries travelling along roads under which the mains are buried. Older mains were constructed from either a cast iron or from asbestos cement mix. Todays are made from PVC and you will see these blue pipes where new or replacement mains are being laid. The local mains connection is made with a special isolating valve which can be added without the need to isolate the supply to the rest of the area. This allows a supply to a new house to be made without interfering with the water to other buildings in the road. A water pipe is set under the ground to just outside the propertys boundary where an external stop valve is fitted. Access to the stop valve is provided by an access chamber which is a vertical pipe and has a cover at the top usually marked to make identification easier. From this stop valve the supply pipe continues towards the house and this piece is known as a service pipe. This pipe is normally made of a medium density polyethylene (MDPE) continues undergr andound until it is inside the building. The pipe depth will be at least 750 mm to protect it from frost. The size of the pipe has to be at least 15mm but is commonly 25mm and should be contained in sleeve where it passes under the building and, as it rises up it will also be insulated to protect it from frost damage. The water meter may be fitted externally or internally. Your local Clapham Plumber has all the knowledge and skill to advise on water supply and management.