Buried electrical conduit with un-sleeved 3/4" copper water service... is it legal?

[masshole1968]

I had a water pipe burst under my slab so when I opened the floor up to investigate and I found 3/4" pvc electrical conduit buried with my copper flexible 3/4" copper water service and sch. 40 soil pipe. is this a code violation? Also should the 3/4 copper been completely shielded when buried?

 

[cda]

Welcome

NE fan in Florida?

Question not in my area, but give it a day or two for great answers.

Just a guess,, all sounds legal.

Not sure why the electrical wire is underground.

 

[SCBO1]

I think the NEC is silent on this. We still require water pipe grounding if available.

 

[chris kennedy]

It’s legal. The only time separation is required is if it’s utility owned. Even then you won’t find the requirements in a code book, they are in the utility’s white books.

 

[ADAguy]

Which was buried higher, water or electrical? Any tracer wire evident?

 

[SCBO1]

I think they could be at the same depth under a concrete slab if the NEC depth requirement is followed in table 300.5, Column 3. (0-inches). I wouldn't think a tracer wire would be needed for either the electrical or the copper water line?

Now in the utility easement that may be a different story depending where you live and the state established dig locate laws.

 

[steveray]

Sewer and water are more of a no-no....But still not always...

 

[SCBO1]

Sewer and water can be in the same trench under the concrete slab as a waste line but when it exits the building and becomes the sewer line the 12-inch vertical rules apply. If the waterline crosses the sewer line and is within 5-ft horizontally then the pipe sleeved rule applies.

 

[ADAguy]

Elec. should be above any water or sewer.

 

[ICE]

There are no separation requirements unless there is clay sewer pipe.

 

[tmurray]

Elec. should be above any water or sewer.

Is that just a best practice, or a code requirement?

 

[JCraver]

Is that just a best practice, or a code requirement?

It's not a requirement in any of the codes I enforce.

 

[SCBO1]

Elec. should be above any water or sewer.

I'm not aware of that code, but would be a best practice, due to the frost line here.

On a different issue the code recently changed in the IRC to not permit plumbing above or below the breaker panel and I run into that issue quite often.

 

[classicT]

Elec. should be above any water or sewer.

This is just an opinion, not code.

 

[ADAguy]

And "Best Practice" too.