Rant on Water Companies

[Xanthian]

We have a water pipe out the front of our house (like most people) which leads water to our house and the rest of our close.

For about 2 years now there has been a constant puddle appearing beside the storm drain near it, draining away into it. So it was obvious the pipe was leaking, as being on a hill water won't be draining up it to go into the storm drain.

For those 2 years, the water company has insisted that that is what has been happening. They've even sent plumbers out to look at it and they always came back with the same "Nothing to worry about" message cards though the letter box.

Recently they finnaly agreed to dig up the path to have a propper look at the pipe. They dug down to it last night and agreed there was a small leak in it. They left saying they'd come back to fix it early tomorow morning (Today). Its now afternoon and no sign of them, but thats not the main concern really.

Within about 30 mins the pipe had leaked enough water into the 1 meter square hole they dug to fill it completely, and it is now going directly down the storm drain it was before after overflowing the hole. It has been leaking quite litterally gallons of pure, clean drinking water into that drain.

I spose my point is, do you ever get the feeling that people don't really care what they waste? Water companies seem to be the worst offenders on these things. Makes me realise where all these water shortages come from.

What you have to understand is the process of "priority"..

A small leak such as that, and trust me its a small leak, is NOT going to be a high priority. They have on average much more pressing matters they have to get addressed. If they went searching for small leaks all day, people would not get their water turned on for months at a new house, or water turned off on an account that you will now have to pay for.. well because they are not paying.


Its simply logistics.. it costs more money to fix all those little leaks then it does to let them leak and get to them when they can.

Water is NEVER wasted.. this is a silly idea..


The ONLY thing I can see you complaining about is:
1. damage to your yard or property which is easily fix'd.
2. If the leak was on YOUR side of the meter, which means they where charging you for the leaked water/repairs.

Other then that its a silly issue to get up in arms about thinking they are "wasting" water.. which will simply end up as rain and fall back to earth.. get cycled into drinking water again...