Originally Posted by PandaBear
Thanks Stelth. Do you think the reason Sch 40 problems are from tree roots around them or vegetation? I am curious why such a short pipe (around 8-10') would have 3 slip couplings on it for patch, and the broken and abandoned sch 40 irrigation in the back. Is it "safe" to put another one down if I remove all trees and only keep bushes in the future? Copper with bushes? or Just planters on everything and don't let any root grow under it?
Hard to make a firm diagnosis from here, but as you may know, PVC is somewhat brittle. From the pix, it looks like your water line is pretty shallow. Could it have been hit with a shovel or pick in the past? Anyway, I'd be inclined to replace at least the troublesome section with soft type L copper. It won't crack like PVC if the roots push it around a little. If you want to use one of the flexible plastics, I'd want to go at least 18" deep.
