So this morning we take off to go to work and round the corner by our house. I noticed a lot of water in the storm gutter running into the drain by my neighbor’s house across the street and it stands out to me because it hasn’t rained recently. As I drive down the street about 10 houses I come to the end of the stream and notice that the water main cover in front of a house (the individual main or whatever it is called going to each house) is covered in a puddle and water is streaming into the storm gutter. Clearly there’s a problem here.
So I get out of my van hoping to warn the people in the house about the issue and as I’m out on the sidewalk about to walk up I hear a voice saying “hello” and I approach the house to find a woman acting strange while looking out the screen telling me that she just woke up. I’m guessing she must have just woke up AND happened to see me outside? Again, strange. So I told her about the water issue and that I just wanted her to know so she could get it taken care of and she thanked me for being kind and I went on my merry way to work.
I just came home from work, it’s been 9 hours or so, and drove by the house again. They have a freaking lawn sprinkler out there right now going full blast by the place where the water is spilling out of the ground. It is clear that they are trying to mask the issue. The storm gutter is still full of water rushing toward the drain.
Now this house is starting to look pretty run down. There is an old Kia SUV sitting in the driveway with blocks behind it, presumably to keep it from rolling into the street. The lady that I spoke to just had that look like she was cracked out or on something.
This really isn’t my problem. It’s probably 10-12 houses away from me and not on my street. She has neighbors that have eyes and that can see, though most people aren’t that good at noticing things like I am. I don’t know if this continues if it will hurt something or someone. I don’t exactly understand why these people are just letting this go unless maybe they are the ones that broke it turning the water back on once it was shut off on them or something. Or maybe a pipe broke and they can’t afford to fix it. I do know that water running underground isn’t a great thing but this appears to be coming up and running into the storm sewer.
I’ve debated calling someone but not sure who other than the water company. I also know that she knows that I know and watched me get in and out of my van today and I don’t live far away and have a recognizable van. I don’t need or want problems from people that seem like they may be desperate. I’m thinking about just walking away and letting people closer to the situation deal with it, but I have kind of an obsessive nature so it’s bugging me. What would you do? Is there something I’m overlooking if I choose to overlook this?
Call the water company, report a possible line break, “I don’t know what is wrong, there’s just so much water in the street!”, they’ll send someone out.
I am not sure there is much more that you should do. You made sure the people who reside there are aware of the problem. The issue does not place you or your property in any danger. As you say, those who live closer are probably aware of the issue, and may know things about the situation that you don’t.
I’d take the attitude that I’d done my best to make sure the people who need to take action were aware of the situation. Then, I get a beer.
I like the idea of reporting a possible break. I also like the idea of doing nothing more and letting the people around fend for themselves while I drink a beverage of choice.
Seems to me that if her next door neighbor, who doesn’t make himself obvious when seeing the problem, makes the call, she’s just as likely to think it was you.
It’s possible that the problem is actually at the water main, not the service lateral to the house. It’s also possible (though not typical) that the service lateral to the house is the water company’s responsibility.
So, call the water company.
I have no idea what is going on with the people who think they have to hide a leaking water pipe, but it’s probably a very good thing to have a professional take a look.
If the water company already knows what’s going on, your call won’t hurt, either.
Someone is paying for all that water. If the break is on the street side of the meter it’s generally the water company, if it’s on the house side it’s the homeowner. If it’s a rental property and utilities are included in the rent, the tenant has very little motivation to do anything. It’s usually a pretty simple thing to turn off the water at the meter, although sometimes it does require a special tool.
I submit that you would have called the water company immediately if you did not suspect these people of being addicts. It’s the only possible reason not to simply call and report a problem with the local utilities.
If, as you suspect, they are hard core addicts, then they will not want to call the water company even if it would cost them nothing. Because they are afraid someone will come into the house and see what they are doing, and authorities will come to make them stop. You and I know that the sooner they stop doing drugs the happier the rest of their lives will be, and the more likely they are to still be breathing when they finally quit. But right now, they don’t know that.
The very kindest thing that you can do for addicts is to help them hit bottom as hard, and as quickly as possible. Bottom can get really ugly for people who have good resources, good enablers, and are surrounded by Americans minding their own business.
And any decent citizen would report a problem with the local utilities. But you already knew that bit.
I’d make a call to either the city (311 here as well) or my city councillor. Either one should know what to do next. I believe the city IS the water company here.
Reading only the title of the OP, and not the text, the answer is obviously “Take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.”
Taking the entire OP into consideration…I’d say that’s still a viable option. But it might be simpler to just call whoever manages water service in the area and report a leak, like everybody else suggests.
Well, I tried to call the Water Company today from work but they have a terrible phone tree to go through that is very slow, then I was told that I’d have to wait ten minutes on hold. Well, my day was already running late because our first client of the day called and had to switch to the end of the day because, wait for it, their water was off at their house so we couldn’t clean it in the morning. We ended up having to reschedule our whole day and flipped it and it put us behind, so once I found out that I’d have to wait on the phone I figured it wasn’t worth it to me today.
On the way home we drove by that house again and the water is off by whatever measure, so that’s good.
Do you mind if I use your thread to ask WWDD on a matter that’s presently confronting me? I mean, it’s a perfectly good thread and all… shame to let it go to waste!