Installing water mains and sewers for new buildings in NYC is a common occurrence. The installation is pretty standardized for the most part, we follow plans and obtain inspections. From start to finish, we adhere to environmental and building regulations to make sure your system is safe, effective, and legally compliant.
The sewer is usually installed at the drill in connection on the city sewer. With this method, we link the property’s wastewater lines to the municipal sewer system by drilling into the existing sewer pipe and installing a connection point. The water main is usually installed from the wet connection valve on the city water main.
Both the water main and sewer pipes usually go straight from the utility, to inside the building. In most cases both pipes enter inside the basement and at this point the internal plumbing is completed.
The sprinkler main or combined water main requires a curb valve below the sidewalk just in case the fire department is required to stop water from entering from the street. The fire department or city water department workers may use the curb valve to shut off the water supply for maintenance or emergency interventions without needing to access the building’s interior.
When excavating for the sewer or water main we may encounter problems below ground. Some of these problems include underground utilities, bedrock or ground water. These three scenarios are not common however, it is possible to encounter the unexpected.
Excavating underground utilities presents significant challenges due to the likely dense network of pipes, cables, and infrastructure. Damaging these utilities can lead to costly repairs, service disruptions, or injury when striking gas lines or electrical cables. Licensed plumbers with plenty of hands-on experience can navigate this easily with specialized equipment and techniques for safe new construction sewer line installation.
Excavating bedrock, the solid rock layer beneath soil or loose materials, poses a formidable challenge due to its extreme hardness and density. This natural material requires specialized heavy machinery to break it apart, making the process time-consuming and labor-intensive. Professional plumbers can overcome these difficulties by conducting thorough geological surveys to plan the most efficient excavation route, employing advanced drilling techniques, and sometimes opting for alternative installation methods that minimize the need to penetrate deep bedrock layers.
Uncontrolled groundwater can lead to flooding of the excavation site, undermining the structural integrity of the trench and posing a risk of sewer pipe contamination or collapse. Plumbers can use various methods to overcome the challenge of groundwater in new construction sewer line installation, such as using well points, sump pumps, or trench drains to remove or redirect groundwater. We can also reinforce trench walls with shoring and carefully seal the installed pipes to prevent infiltration and ensure a stable, secure installation.
On this particular project in Brooklyn we came across a hidden room below the sidewalk, nobody was aware it existed! We started to excavate the sidewalk and saw a hollow space below. At first we thought it was a small sinkhole that must have occurred over the years. As we continued to excavate we found an old room that was larger than a 15’x 10′ room!. This is not something we come across often and were required to go back to the drawing board.
Thankfully for Team Harris we had one of our most seasoned teams on the installation and they were able to complete the job on a minor delay. Ensure durable and efficient sewer line installation by hiring licensed and experienced plumbing contractors. We will keep your project on track and minimize delays with top-quality workmanship just as we have for thousands of other plumbing installation projects throughout New York.
