Electric and plumbing in same trench

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VIC1958

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Can not find anything in the code that would prohibit electrical and plumbing using the same trench under a concrete slab in a commercial building as long as they where seperated and not touching. This would be for branch circuits and supply and waste. Is this correct?
 
You won't find an NEC rule that forbids it. Other codes, perhaps the plumbing code, might take a different view.
 
This is a frequently asked question by both plumbers & electricians. I am not aware of any requirement in the NEC, IPC, or any other standard that prohibits raceways & piping of different systems in the same trench. Best practices & good design is the only real consideration...
 
If I was a plumber, and the electric was encased in concrete, I'd have no problems with it. All the plumbers I know don't like electricity anywhere near them when working below grade where they are likely wet and well grounded.

Mix that in with an operator trying to expose a plumbing problem that needs to be repaired... well I wouldn't want some of those plumber operating anywhere near my electrical feeds/laterals. With all due respect to plumbers... :D
 
Kind of odd that NEC or plumbing code doesn't require some deliberate seperation. NESC has a special section; "353. Deliberate seperations-- Equal to or greater than 300mm (12 in.) from underground structures or other cables"
 
we have used the plumbers' trench to lay cables on several occasions. they water lines are usually below frost level and well below our minimum depth requirements so we usually threw some dirt on top of the water lines ( a foot or more) and then buried our wires.
 
You couldn't do it at Duke or UNC. Or I take that back at UNC Now they have a trench open as wide as a street and very deep. It has steam and every thing else in it. But the elctrical has concrete pored over the racks. And of course every body knows plumbing has a bit of a vibration to it, so if it's plastic it can not touch concrete. just soft sand, dirt or orange clay.
For those of you that don't know Chapel Hill is in Orange Couty and unlike Orange Co. in Calif. and Orange Co in Orlando. Chapel Hill has never been able to grow oranges. It's the orange clay that it is named after.
 
Buck Parrish said:
You couldn't do it at Duke or UNC. Or I take that back at UNC Now they have a trench open as wide as a street and very deep. It has steam and every thing else in it. But the elctrical has concrete pored over the racks. And of course every body knows plumbing has a bit of a vibration to it, so if it's plastic it can not touch concrete. just soft sand, dirt or orange clay.
For those of you that don't know Chapel Hill is in Orange Couty and unlike Orange Co. in Calif. and Orange Co in Orlando. Chapel Hill has never been able to grow oranges. It's the orange clay that it is named after.
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But it is all in the same trench, it is just a wide trench. I think the issue here is how much separation may be required by each type of service. Usually is more of an issue for when the time comes that a repair may be needed.

Many places do not want water and sewer close to each other for preventing cross contamination in the event they have to dig them up later on.
 
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