# Forum Home Renovation Plumbing  Underground water supply pipe minimum buried depth in VIC?

## jimbo16

Anyone know if there is a minimum buried depth for the underground water supply pipe from the water meter to the house? 
This is for a house in Victoria.
Does the minimum depth depend on the pipe material?
TIA

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## OBBob

No Idea ... but my last place (in Melbourne) it came in from the boundary, through the meter and then on to the house pretty much sitting on the surface (metal pipe). It was an old house, so not sure what the current rules are.

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## droog

I think it is supposed to be around 450mm, wait for confirmation from any plumbers. 
Of course if this is an existing house the ground could have been landscaped after the service was installed. I have seen supply line just below the surface.

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## jimbo16

Thanks to everyone that has responded so far. Its a new house build, and the pipe is poly blueline, not sure of the diameter. It is currently about 150 to 200mm under the surface. I just wanted to know if there was any standard for the depth as it seems a bit shallow to me.

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## OBBob

Seems shallow ... if nothing else you might consider covering it with something just as a pre-warning in case someone (that doesn't know the location) decides to do some gardening there in future.

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## RodEye

> Anyone know if there is a minimum buried depth for the underground water supply pipe from the water meter to the house? 
> This is for a house in Victoria.
> Does the minimum depth depend on the pipe material?
> TIA

  Use to be at least 300mm depth of cover. And not less than 450mm cover in public road reserves and other places subject to heavy vehicular traffic.

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## JB1

In my old place it was over 300mm, I know because I dug it myself.  
However, it's probably less than 200mm now in some places since I did some landscaping.  
The builder may claim it was over 300mm deep from the natural ground level when installed but you have scrapped the land etc. Ask the builder to see what they say.  
I agree with *OBBob*, at least you know where it is so mark a warning or something.

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## OBBob

Assume it's not a huge length ... a length of orange conduit split in half to cover it would provide good protection / warning.

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## cyclic

Poly is supposed to be surrounded by 100mm of bedding sand.

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