I learned a few interesting things about our river.
For one thing, and most importantly, it is no longer flowing. The workers were out on Thursday and seem to have wrapped up the problem, though there was still a torrent in the gutter on Thursday evening. Later that night it stopped and yesterday, from what I saw, the street was dry -- but there's still a big barricaded hole.
Apparently the crew had been prepared to entirely repair the pipe on Wednesday night, but one of the neighbors complained about noise. So they had to pack up and let the water flow all night before re-attacking the problem the next day. Several of my other neighbors were incensed at this wasteful delay, as I found out at an informal riverside gathering on Thursday morning, and I have to admit I don't know why the water company didn't simply tell the complainers this is an emergency and to suck it up.
Also, Dave said the workers told him that while repairing the broken pipe, another section broke -- so they had to enlarge the hole and fix that too.
We're just happy because we have water again -- we always had it, through this whole ordeal, but sometimes the pressure was incredibly low. Now we're back to normal, the street is dry, and hopefully (cross fingers) we'll stay that way!
(Photo: A friendly street cat in Shoreditch, late last month.)
If the complainants had "sucked it up" then there would not have been a river flowing down your street but their bellies would have been exceedingly bloated!
ReplyDeleteReally? They stopped working because someone complained? That's so odd.
ReplyDeleteglad they got it fixed. when I lived in the city there was a spot close to home that they kept trying to just patch instead of repair which would last for a month or two and then start leaking again. they did eventually fix it properly.
ReplyDeleteGlad they got that all fixed. I am surprised that they stopped working because of complaints.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed a complaint about noise caused them to stop the repair work until the next day. BTW, I'm sure you won't be surprised to read my expression of delight at your photo of the cat.
ReplyDeleteIt really is amazing that one complaint about noise would stop the work in progress. That would never happen here. Water is too precious in the desert to just let run down the street.
ReplyDeletePower off and water of are both major inconveniences. You're good to go now!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how old those water pipes are?
ReplyDeleteProbably the amount of water that ran during the night was literally a drop in the bucket of the amount used daily in London. Also it is easier to work on problems in the daylight, I would think. Even with floodlights it is hard to see every nook and cranny. Glad it's fixed now.
at the mercy of old pipes, a river, the rain, and who knows what else. Floods can happen *snap* just like that. Nice that the repair people are pretty quick! I had a two day leak in that horrid flat which then made the ceiling fall very nearly on top of me. Two whole days of a waterfall, no repair, so , I would say you are pretty lucky...this time.
ReplyDeleteCatching up on your blog! Missing England.
Glad it was resolved quickly...
ReplyDelete