You gotta love our public utilities companies.

[101RRS]

At about 2 this afternoon I spot a couple of water company trucks outside and think nothing off it. At 2.30 I go outside and the trucks are gone but there is a burst water main on the opposite side of the road to where the trucks were parked. I ring the water company - yes they know about it workmen will be there soon. At about 3 a truck and a van arrive and park and the drivers pull their papers out and start reading. At about 3.30 both drivers get out and put up a 'workman' sign nearby and then one driver drives the big truck around the block and put another sign about 20m up the road - quicker to walk. The other guy get one of those things to turn the water off and walks to where the water is rushing out - pokes around a bit and goes back to his truck then both drive off.

At four, both the trucks return and out come the papers again at 4.15 still sitting in the truck.



At 4.30 the big truck leaves and the van stays and the water is still pouring out of the ground.

This afternoon I have been out in the front yard repairing top on my 101 and had a prime position to watch as this efficient use of my water payments came about.

Garry

[loanrangie]

I hope you put this in writing to said water company.

[101RRS]

A neighbour bails up the guy in the van asking what is happening - told it is being looked at.

At 4.50 the truck comes back and parks again. The water is running down the gutter to about 50m down the hill where leaves are restricting the flow so the water is going all over the road - thankfully not on a corner. Move the leaves and the water would run into the storm water not across the road. The workers were there to put a water across road sign up - would have been easier to move the leaves.

At 5.10 the backhoe arrives - no doubt it is about normal knock off time so I guess it is overtime now as the real work seems to be starting.

[cjc_td5]

They would have had to consult their asset maps to work out where the system was going to have to be isolated to turn off the water to the burst pipe. They would then have to work out how many residences would be isolated by this. They may have had to check to see if there were any critical users that may have been affected by turning off part of the network, and made contingency for this. The last part of the process is to actually dig to find the break itself. This all takes time unfortunately and the amount of water lost is stuff all in terms of the network wide consumption.

[rangie ute on 38'']

I dont see what your point is, do you think these situations are a 5 Min job, as mentioned above many things need to be checked out before anything is done.

[101RRS]

Still at it - earning lots of overtime.

[Chucaro]

What!! one driver get out and put up a 'workman' sign nearby
That is demarcation!! we should report it and ban the site

[V8Ian]

Having 25 years experience in emergency response, one get accustomed to and frustrated with, hurry up and wait.

[Basil135]

Water mains are funny buggers.

As has been said, you cant just shut down a main. Turn it off too quick, and you will get a water hammer which will find a weak spot further up the line & pop out... ask me how I know that one...

Plus, if there are any schools, nursing homes, hospitals, shopping centres etc on the same main, these may have to be notified, as if they have a fire sprinkler system, they may have no protection, or at least, reduced protection.

Now, I am not defending the guys you saw, as it is entirely possible that they were just waiting for OT rates to kick in...

But, just offering a possible explanation.

[Lucy]

Machinery doesn't just magically appear either - was likely on another job, had to wait until it was finished/available, then arrange transport etc.