Broken Pipe But No Water Leak

[Joseph Young]

I was recently digging to install a new fence post in my yard when I hit a pipe. The pipe cracked and leaked a bit of water at first and then completely stopped and doesn't appear to have leaked any more. I tested the water in the bathrooms and kitchen but no water leak from the crack. The pipe is blue and looks like a standard water pipe. Any idea what this is and if it needs to be fixed?

 

[Jeff Handy]

Could be a million things. Abandoned water line, old plastic conduit for a yard light, abandoned sump pump discharge. Abandoned sprinkler system pipe. Plastic conduit for low voltage landscape lights.
If it is a large pipe, it could be part of a septic field.
Or the water inside might just be ground water that found its way inside an otherwise dry pipe.

 

[Joseph Young]

I see. It's a 1 in. Blue Plex pipe about 5-6 ft. Deep if that narrows it down.

 

[RenewDave]

What kind of fence needs 5 foot deep posts? You workin for trump?

 

[Jeff Handy]

Make sure it is not giving off gas.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Yes, three or four feet are good for most posts.
If you are setting in concrete, don’t leave a big mushroom of concrete on top.
Frost will grab that and push up the post.
Use at least a foot or two of a cardboard tube form nearest the top of your hole.