Need Plumbing help? Outside weird pipe thing Dh just lifted out of the yard...

[tess in the burbs]

he was aerating and it hit something hard. so he got a shovel and started digging to get it out.

well he found this strange pipe thing and when he was trying to pull it out of the ground he got it! but now there's another pipe it was connected to still in the ground. we have no idea where it goes, what it's connected to!!!!:001_huh:

the pipe he pulled out has a funnel shape on the top and there's a stop thing at the narrow point. so clearly it isn't meant to be opened. you would need a special thing to open it.

the pipe in the group that's at an angle now has dirt in it from where dh was digging around it!

i have never seen anything like it in my life. *and my dad's house had major plumbing issues from tree roots in the pipes in the yard*

any ideas? we also have a plumbing pipe stop farther up in the yard, but this one you can see. so what is this strange funnel pipe underground? no smell, so not sure it's connected to the sewer....

help!

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

he was aerating and it hit something hard. so he got a shovel and started digging to get it out.

well he found this strange pipe thing and when he was trying to pull it out of the ground he got it! but now there's another pipe it was connected to still in the ground. we have no idea where it goes, what it's connected to!!!!:001_huh:

the pipe he pulled out has a funnel shape on the top and there's a stop thing at the narrow point. so clearly it isn't meant to be opened. you would need a special thing to open it.

the pipe in the group that's at an angle now has dirt in it from where dh was digging around it!

i have never seen anything like it in my life. *and my dad's house had major plumbing issues from tree roots in the pipes in the yard*

any ideas? we also have a plumbing pipe stop farther up in the yard, but this one you can see. so what is this strange funnel pipe underground? no smell, so not sure it's connected to the sewer....

help!

Could it be an old sprinkler system that was sealed off?

[tess in the burbs]

it's a fairly new neighborhood and no one even did anything with this house. *hence no deck or patio in backyard*

the pipe it's connected to is 4 inch diameter. it's at an angle and parallel to the street, so we assume it connects to city sewer line.

the thing he pulled out of the ground had two metal things around it where it was 'connected' to the other pipe. he can't just shove it back down there. it needs to be reconnected. the other end of the disconnected pipe has a funnel that is probably 1 foot in diameter. the smallest part of the funnel where it becomes normal pipe size is a stopper.

so I am not thinking sprinkler system b/c of the size of the pipes.

and so far no smell. I just assume it would smell if it were a sewer thing?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Does your area have one of those numbers you are supposed to "call before you dig?" I know that here if you are digging more than a foot down you are supposed to call (the city engineer? somebody like that) and they tell you all the underground pipes and wires etc.

[tess in the burbs]

but ended up straight down several feet!

ok, he found a lid for the top of the funnel. it looks like a small manhole cover. the company imports cast iron castings from india.

so I will call Monday. Dh just shoved it back into the ground, put the lid on it and made sure the grass won't grow over it again.

We *think* it's an access to the city utility lines. obviously they need to come dig it up again and reattach properly since dh just put it back without attaching, lol. his seeding project has higher priority, lol :lol: