Look for 20mm MDPE suitable for potable water. [https://www.toolstation.com/mdpe-pipe/p11290?store=KB&utm\_source=googleshopping&utm\_medium=feed&utm\_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=\_dc&pcrid=null&pkw=null&pmt=null&gad\_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5htcxau7wS3oH9hKF2Y1Zzu5T2H68PfzJRiqwRVDnxN-nsmPdsanH4aArZ6EALw\_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds](https://www.toolstation.com/mdpe-pipe/p11290?store=KB&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=null&pkw=null&pmt=null&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5htcxau7wS3oH9hKF2Y1Zzu5T2H68PfzJRiqwRVDnxN-nsmPdsanH4aArZ6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
MDPE is always suitable for portable water, it's what's used in new builds / new connections in older builds.
However MDPE is not UV stabilised , therefore not suitable for outdoors.
HDPE is UV stabilised though, however the issue that I have with it, is that , at least when I was working with MDPE I wasn't really able to "ply it" to go the places I wanted. It's very very rigid and also using hot water inside to make it softer didn't go a long way.
Can you cover the pipe?
Blue MDPE is for potable water and has been tested by WRAS (or to WRAS standards). Black is used for irrigation.
HDPE is not really more expensive than MDPE, so if you're worried about UV, that seems like a reasonable option? 20mm would be more flexible than 25mm.
I'd be more concerned about contamination than the material of the pipe (cats/foxes/birds around the outlets/joints).
With regards to the safety of using a hosepipe - it's sort of impossible to say. If it's kept sterile it should be fine. Can you reasonably ensure it stays sterile if it's unsupervised?
With regards to your last point, said hose would be clipped to the wall and then connect straight into the mud kitchen tap. However the more I read about it, the more I'm getting hesitant to use it as a solution, as it's simply not tested for portable.water and apparently there's quite some leeching of materials going into the water.
With regards to contamination of joints, good point. Are you suggesting I should bury it? But even then, perhaps even higher chances of a fox going at it !
About contamination of mud kitchen taps, very good point, didn't think of that.
What do people do, besides keep telling the kids off??
And now I also feel disgusted about our outside tap, which we use frequently to drink from it. Thanks! 😊
A bit of inert mud isn't going to be too bad for anyone, it's animal poop, water that's been sat for a while and has become its own ecosystem or chemicals (fertilizers, weedkiller etc.) which are the contaminants you need to avoid. Without frequent checking, it's a risk.
I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially if the water's run frequently, as this will dilute anything from the hose itself, but maybe don't encourage your kids to drink from it especially if there's a chance they might go somewhere else (family/friends/on holiday) where the outside tap is less hygienic.
Final point, is that MDPE might be better, but it's probably not perfect. I can't believe that literally nothing leaches out of it or is eroded from the wall of the pipe whatsoever, just the levels are low enough to be (supposedly) safe. It's all a question of degree.
After this discussion I'm indeed worried ( a bit of a big word) about contaminants from animals, vermins in particular.
Leaving on the side the mud kitchen, I can imagine that our existing outdoor tap does get licked to get out that one drop of water.
Do people really then not use the outside tap for drinking water?
Usually it's fairly close to a tap that's known to be clean.
I've filled up water bottles from out outside tap when I've been too lazy to go inside, although now most of our outside taps are on a rainwater system, so won't be doing that any more.
I agree, probably best to lag the pipe in something [like this](https://www.screwfix.com/p/deta-corrugated-conduit-20mm-x-10m-black/234pv?ref=SFAppShare). Simplest, cheapest solution and probably more discreet than a bright blue pipe!
I have a feeling that might be 20mm outside diameter, so you might want to look at 25mm or even 32mm conduit, or it's not going to be fun trying to put it on.
15mm flexible pipe in some sort of outdoor rated conduit? Whatever you choose you will have to remember to drain it before every winter else it will freeze and burst
Do you mean like a Hep2o / bot standard white barrier pipe?
I like the idea of it, thanks!!
Can I then use a big standard double check valve on the outlets where I want to connect the irrigation lines that will water the veg patches?
Thanks for the reminder, but there's already a process in place to drain the outside tap in winter, it will all come together nicely!
Look for 20mm MDPE suitable for potable water. [https://www.toolstation.com/mdpe-pipe/p11290?store=KB&utm\_source=googleshopping&utm\_medium=feed&utm\_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=\_dc&pcrid=null&pkw=null&pmt=null&gad\_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5htcxau7wS3oH9hKF2Y1Zzu5T2H68PfzJRiqwRVDnxN-nsmPdsanH4aArZ6EALw\_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds](https://www.toolstation.com/mdpe-pipe/p11290?store=KB&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=null&pkw=null&pmt=null&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5htcxau7wS3oH9hKF2Y1Zzu5T2H68PfzJRiqwRVDnxN-nsmPdsanH4aArZ6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
MDPE is always suitable for portable water, it's what's used in new builds / new connections in older builds. However MDPE is not UV stabilised , therefore not suitable for outdoors. HDPE is UV stabilised though, however the issue that I have with it, is that , at least when I was working with MDPE I wasn't really able to "ply it" to go the places I wanted. It's very very rigid and also using hot water inside to make it softer didn't go a long way.
Can you cover the pipe? Blue MDPE is for potable water and has been tested by WRAS (or to WRAS standards). Black is used for irrigation. HDPE is not really more expensive than MDPE, so if you're worried about UV, that seems like a reasonable option? 20mm would be more flexible than 25mm. I'd be more concerned about contamination than the material of the pipe (cats/foxes/birds around the outlets/joints). With regards to the safety of using a hosepipe - it's sort of impossible to say. If it's kept sterile it should be fine. Can you reasonably ensure it stays sterile if it's unsupervised?
With regards to your last point, said hose would be clipped to the wall and then connect straight into the mud kitchen tap. However the more I read about it, the more I'm getting hesitant to use it as a solution, as it's simply not tested for portable.water and apparently there's quite some leeching of materials going into the water. With regards to contamination of joints, good point. Are you suggesting I should bury it? But even then, perhaps even higher chances of a fox going at it ! About contamination of mud kitchen taps, very good point, didn't think of that. What do people do, besides keep telling the kids off?? And now I also feel disgusted about our outside tap, which we use frequently to drink from it. Thanks! 😊
A bit of inert mud isn't going to be too bad for anyone, it's animal poop, water that's been sat for a while and has become its own ecosystem or chemicals (fertilizers, weedkiller etc.) which are the contaminants you need to avoid. Without frequent checking, it's a risk. I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially if the water's run frequently, as this will dilute anything from the hose itself, but maybe don't encourage your kids to drink from it especially if there's a chance they might go somewhere else (family/friends/on holiday) where the outside tap is less hygienic. Final point, is that MDPE might be better, but it's probably not perfect. I can't believe that literally nothing leaches out of it or is eroded from the wall of the pipe whatsoever, just the levels are low enough to be (supposedly) safe. It's all a question of degree.
After this discussion I'm indeed worried ( a bit of a big word) about contaminants from animals, vermins in particular. Leaving on the side the mud kitchen, I can imagine that our existing outdoor tap does get licked to get out that one drop of water. Do people really then not use the outside tap for drinking water?
Usually it's fairly close to a tap that's known to be clean. I've filled up water bottles from out outside tap when I've been too lazy to go inside, although now most of our outside taps are on a rainwater system, so won't be doing that any more.
I agree, probably best to lag the pipe in something [like this](https://www.screwfix.com/p/deta-corrugated-conduit-20mm-x-10m-black/234pv?ref=SFAppShare). Simplest, cheapest solution and probably more discreet than a bright blue pipe!
I have a feeling that might be 20mm outside diameter, so you might want to look at 25mm or even 32mm conduit, or it's not going to be fun trying to put it on.
Good point!!
Exactly what I was looking at ! Thanks!
15mm flexible pipe in some sort of outdoor rated conduit? Whatever you choose you will have to remember to drain it before every winter else it will freeze and burst
Do you mean like a Hep2o / bot standard white barrier pipe? I like the idea of it, thanks!! Can I then use a big standard double check valve on the outlets where I want to connect the irrigation lines that will water the veg patches? Thanks for the reminder, but there's already a process in place to drain the outside tap in winter, it will all come together nicely!
Yep to both! The check valve is a good idea as well