Silliness When Plumbing Goes Bad

RickyMaveety · 10-17-2008, 05:17 PM

So, yesterday morning I noticed that there was a LOT of water pouring down my driveway into my yard. I mean a LOT of water.

I called the City of Horseshoe Bay, but they weren't able to get someone out to look at the problem until late in the afternoon. When the guy did finally get here, he told me that the problem was on my side of the meter, so I'd have to hire someone to fix it.

I called a plumber who came out at about 5:30 or so in the evening and fixed it. He showed me exactly where the break was, and why it was likely to break again in a few years (because the builder installed the pipes incorrectly in the first place ....).

Now, this is not the story, this is just the introduction ... it gets ever so much sillier.

There is a lovely couple (Stacey and Travis) who are building their new home more or less next to mine. Today I notice that they are at the head of the driveway of my house talking to their builder. I'm curious, so I walk up the hill to find out what's up.

It turns out that no one knows where their water meter is located ... they think it might be in front of my house, but no one knows for sure. As it happened, there was a break in the sewer line in front of their house, so the same guy from the City of HSB was over there ... so I collared him and asked him where the water meter was for their house.

Sure enough, rather than locate it close to their house, their water meter is located in front of my house ... and this is where it starts to get silly .... on the far side of my driveway. And, did anyone ever think to put a chase pipe under my driveway?? Of course not.

Now, for some unknown reason, they located Stacey and Travis's electrical meter on the far side of another neighbor's driveway ... so they already had to tear out that neighbor's driveway in order to run a chase under there and put in the electrical. But .... rather than put the water meter in at that location ... since they had already torn up that driveway ... they put the water meter waaaay over on the other side of my driveway ... and now they will have to tear up my driveway.

Ah well .... the developer is an idiot, pure and simple.

The sad thing is .... if I had known, I could have let them put something in around the time I was digging my secret trench. I did let Stacey and Travis's builder know about that (he promised not to blab) so that when they dig their ditch (to put in the water pipes) they don't accidentally mess my project up.

Really .... what kind of a moronic developer subdivides for houses and then doesn't put in access for electrical and water?? Especially for large lots??

nekokami · 10-17-2008, 05:34 PM

Wow.

I suppose there's no regulation that requires the meters to actually be on the lot they go with....

NatCh · 10-17-2008, 06:01 PM

Actually, in Texas, there may be a serious law about it ... I know that the laws on paying for your own water are very strict -- goes way back to water piracy issues in the "frontier" days.

Given my aversion to plumbing of any kind, I almost didn't click on this thread. I'm still not sure whether I'm glad I have or not.

RickyMaveety · 10-17-2008, 10:11 PM

No .... it's not against the law to have your meter somewhere else (as long as it's within the utility easement), as long as the meter is hooked up to your own water supply .. you still have to pay your own bill.

They were out there this afternoon tearing up the driveway. Luckily, I can drive in and out by just driving over the brush and through the trees. So, it's not really an immense problem for me.

10-17-2008, 05:17 PM	#1
RickyMaveety Holy S**T!!! Posts: 5,213 Karma: 108401 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego, California!! Device: Kindle and iPad	When Plumbing Goes Bad So, yesterday morning I noticed that there was a LOT of water pouring down my driveway into my yard. I mean a LOT of water. I called the City of Horseshoe Bay, but they weren't able to get someone out to look at the problem until late in the afternoon. When the guy did finally get here, he told me that the problem was on my side of the meter, so I'd have to hire someone to fix it. I called a plumber who came out at about 5:30 or so in the evening and fixed it. He showed me exactly where the break was, and why it was likely to break again in a few years (because the builder installed the pipes incorrectly in the first place ....). Now, this is not the story, this is just the introduction ... it gets ever so much sillier. There is a lovely couple (Stacey and Travis) who are building their new home more or less next to mine. Today I notice that they are at the head of the driveway of my house talking to their builder. I'm curious, so I walk up the hill to find out what's up. It turns out that no one knows where their water meter is located ... they think it might be in front of my house, but no one knows for sure. As it happened, there was a break in the sewer line in front of their house, so the same guy from the City of HSB was over there ... so I collared him and asked him where the water meter was for their house. Sure enough, rather than locate it close to their house, their water meter is located in front of my house ... and this is where it starts to get silly .... on the far side of my driveway. And, did anyone ever think to put a chase pipe under my driveway?? Of course not. Now, for some unknown reason, they located Stacey and Travis's electrical meter on the far side of another neighbor's driveway ... so they already had to tear out that neighbor's driveway in order to run a chase under there and put in the electrical. But .... rather than put the water meter in at that location ... since they had already torn up that driveway ... they put the water meter waaaay over on the other side of my driveway ... and now they will have to tear up my driveway. Ah well .... the developer is an idiot, pure and simple. The sad thing is .... if I had known, I could have let them put something in around the time I was digging my secret trench. I did let Stacey and Travis's builder know about that (he promised not to blab) so that when they dig their ditch (to put in the water pipes) they don't accidentally mess my project up. Really .... what kind of a moronic developer subdivides for houses and then doesn't put in access for electrical and water?? Especially for large lots??

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10-17-2008, 05:34 PM	#2
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Wow. I suppose there's no regulation that requires the meters to actually be on the lot they go with....

10-17-2008, 06:01 PM	#3
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Actually, in Texas, there may be a serious law about it ... I know that the laws on paying for your own water are very strict -- goes way back to water piracy issues in the "frontier" days. Given my aversion to plumbing of any kind, I almost didn't click on this thread. I'm still not sure whether I'm glad I have or not.

10-17-2008, 10:11 PM	#4
RickyMaveety Holy S**T!!! Posts: 5,213 Karma: 108401 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego, California!! Device: Kindle and iPad	No .... it's not against the law to have your meter somewhere else (as long as it's within the utility easement), as long as the meter is hooked up to your own water supply .. you still have to pay your own bill. They were out there this afternoon tearing up the driveway. Luckily, I can drive in and out by just driving over the brush and through the trees. So, it's not really an immense problem for me.

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