Waterford City Council deliberately turning off peoples' water overnight?

Ecoone

Yesterday afternoon a man claiming to be Waterford City Council knocked at my door and said that there was some water leaking onto the road from the supply switch at the rear of my residence. He asked me if my taps were running. I checked and told him that they were. He then asked me if I had any plumbers working in the house. I told him that I had a central heating system put in a few months back. He said that they probably needed to turn off the supply to put in the system and that it might have been why the leak occurred. I then asked him if it was all OK now and he said it was. I said thank you and bid him farewell.

However, at about 5:00pm this evening I noticed that my taps were not running. Considering the visit yesterday I immediately wondered if the supply had been deliberately turned off. I checked with my neighbours and their water was running as normal. At 7:30pm I borrowed the socket wrench necessary to turn on and off the supply. A few twists of it and the water was back! This confirmed that somebody deliberately turned off the switch out on the road. And at 7:30pm I'd say it looks like that somebody was going to leave it turned off all night. There wasn't even a note put in the door.

No real harm was done, but there could have been. What if someone were to accidentally burn themselves at the cooker or deep fat fryer? There would be no running water from the tap to help stop the burn from progressing. A spark could have come out of the fire and onto the settee or a candle could have fallen and it would have been no good filling up a pot with water to put it out.

Is it the practice of Waterford City Council to deliberately turn off a households water supply and leave it turned off all night over a small leak? I checked again at 8:30pm and there was a little trickle of water coming up onto the road, but it hadn't yet built up enough to reach the nearest shore. I think if it ever had been more than a little trickle I would have noticed it when putting out the wheelie bin. It will amount to about a sink full of water over the course of the night.

wellboytoo

With this and the kitten missing in Ballytruckle I'm a bag of nerves. ...

BadCharlie

But with it left on it could cause a sink hole to develop under your house and devour all who live there. That worker is only trying to save lives, Gob Bless Him.

invalid

Ecoone wrote: »

Yesterday afternoon a man claiming to be Waterford City Council

as a matter of interest, did he show you his ID? and have you rung WCC about this?

giles lynchwood

Did he have a limp,by any chance.

mike65

Did have a blue clipboard?

obezyana

Most importantly did he have a yellow jacket a hard hat and a sweeping broom so he can lean on? If not then he is merely an imposter call WCC now.

Ecoone

He didn't ask to come inside the house or ask for any personal information, so I didn't expect him to show ID. He just asked about the leak. I did not ring Waterford City Council as it was late in the evening and I probably wouldn't have gotten through to anybody that could do anything about it. Instead I went into their office this morning and saw somebody in person.

He got through to the person that turned it off and he said that he thought the supply wasn't going anywhere and didn't realise he was turning off our water. So, I suppose it was just a mistake. But still, it was a nuisance that I didn't need and I was annoyed about it. The comment made by wellboytoo about him being a bag of nerves helped lighten up my mode, though. I hope they find that kitten!

Anyway, in fairness, the man wasn't impolite or anything and they treated me with respect at Waterford City Council, so I guess that's that. They said they'll fix the leak. But how he managed to spot that little trickle of water amongst all that rain, I will never know! NASA should offer him a position searching for twin Earths orbiting nearby stars. Or he could help find that kitten!

deisegal1

Thats fair dodgy. But what happened with the kitten?

Ecoone

deisegal1 wrote: »

Thats fair dodgy. But what happened with the kitten?

I don't know what happened with the kitten. Someone started a thread in this forum about a missing kitten but never posted an update. Here's the link to the thread. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057132121

albert kidd

you would of had more then one man at your door if it was the council.

a major job like knocking at someones door would of took atleast 3/4 of our finest city servants.

wellboytoo

deisegal1 wrote: »

Thats fair dodgy. But what happened with the kitten?

You would want to take a few cynical tablets if you are going to get anywhere in your chosen profession.

MRnotlob606

ask for ID if they don't they might have a knife and id leg it out the back