Got builders in laying foundations, now got bits in drinking water.

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

Little brown particles. If you run the water a while it runs clear but it has happened again today. Builders say they aren't working near the water pipe yet so it might be work being done by the water board nearby that's causing it. But next door (one side, haven't spoken to the other side yet) say that their water is fine so surely it has to be the service pipes to our house that's doing it?

We had a mini digger in last week breaking up flags - could the vibrations from that dislodged something in the pipes?

It's a 1930s semi. The cold water pipe inside the house is dodgy anyway - it's embedded into a wall where it goes upstairs and has always kind of shaken and made a wierd noise when you turn the cold tap on and off.

Cheers.

the house probably has an iron service pipe. It will be rusty, and if not yet leaking, soon will be. The rust and scale will not hurt you.

Have a nice new 32mm plastic water pipe laid in a trench which digging is going on, and before the building goes too far to make it difficult and expensive. All the way out to the pavement, and all the way in to your internal stopcock and to where your boiler will be. You do not have to have it connected until a convenient time. If you have a plumber, he will (should) know where to put it.

You will be absolutely stunned at how much better the water flow is, if you do that.

p.s.

I expect you have a cold-water tank in the loft. The ballcock in that is very likely to get clogged. I'd recommend you buy a new one (the Pegler Prestex Part 2 is very good) and keep it handy. You can dismantle and clean one, but it is quicker to unscrew and swap. You can then dismantle and clean the old one at your leisure, and fit a new cone and washer at trifling cost, and keep it handy to swap again next time.

You can leave the brass stem in place on the tank, and undo the big brass nut to swap the working parts.

PigletJohn you are amazing.

That is all

Yes, I quite agree! Thanks so much!

I rang the water board this morning and they're going to send an inspector out on Monday to try and ascertain what it is. For once I'm praying that you're wrong, Piglet John, and that it's the mains that's the problem - not looking forward to any costly changes to the service pipe (plumber on holiday so can't ask him about potentially putting a new pipe in.)

Thanks for the info about the water tank - yes we do have one but we'll be getting rid of it as we're going for a combi boiler (I know you're not a fan! But it's a Vaillant so hopefully will be fine.)

Thanks again! I'll update when the water board guy has been on Monday.

When I read the thread title, I thought your builder had read the infamous penis beaker thread and was acting it out.