Burying Tubes

The ditch should be at least 18” and more in higher traffic areas. Refer to A Handbook of Gravity-Flow Water Systems, Thomas Jordan Jr. To enforce depth, mark sticks with the correct distance that can be placed in the ditch as a reference. Make sure the ditch is dug to its proper depth before burying the tube. Spending the time now digging the ditch deeper will save time in future maintenance.

Dig and bury tube as you go. If you dig long stretches without also burying tube, heavy rains can wash away your work by refilling the ditch with mud. Make sure you connect tubes in advance of burying to give time for the glue to bond before burying. Backfill ditches with dirt. The backfill should NOT contain rocks. The tubes will move slightly with water running through them and the tubes may rub against the rocks. This movement can wear away at the tubes over the life of the system.