An update on our water woes. Our neighbours got on to their insurance company, and out came some chaps from a drainage company, and proceeded to start digging to try and find the leak. They started where the Scottish Water chap said to start, but found only the electricity cable (which led to some horror stories about the tar that cakes older cables being ignited).
Unfortunately, affable chaps that they were (and I was quite chuffed that I was able to penetrate the lead chaps strong Glasgow accent), they couldn’t find the pipes despite digging in our garden too, and probing with a spade in all the likely areas. We’re beginning to fear that it could be one of that the pipe is under the neighbours concrete path, which is very thick. This would be a major problem! Another theory is that - despite Scottish Water chaps opinion - the water is leaching in from a leak in the street, along the electricity cable, and bubbling up in the gardens.
Having now spoken at length to our neighbour, it seems somebody turned up on Friday afternoon with a sonar/listening device that enables them to closely pinpoint leaks. Seems it could well be under the wall or the tree at the end of the garden, possibly even under the pavement. So Scottish Water have been informed, and they - as well as the drainage folk - are due back on Monday to dig again, hopefully in the right place this time.
Which means we’ll be stuck with more mud, but it has to beat a small stream that has now formed across our path - You can see the water moving across the path, which is very disconcerting. At least it’s not moving towards the houses, but along the garden. This means the ground is getting absolutely sodden (not helped by the drizzle that’s been persistent over the weekend), and is going to take ages to dry out even when the problem is resolved.
I’m relieved it’s in hand, but worried that there may be a disagreement between insurance company and Scottish Water, that leaves us with a pond in the front garden. Either that, or a cheque being written out that doesn’t get refunded in any sort of reasonable time. Still, I’d rather have the latter than a serious water problem in the front garden!
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September 4th, 2006 at 12:32 am
If all else fails, try a water diviner or ship the stuff to SE England, they could do with some.
You feel so helpless when you get a problem with water. I really sympathise with you. But if it persists at least dig a trench and to get the water that is flowing over your path to channel away from the house and into the street. Ask the Scottish Water Board for some sandbags and put them against the house just in case.