Forced to replace City Water Line that they broke

[wdunnill]

Tires wear out on your car. Roofs need to be replaced. Appliances reach the end of their service life and fail. Water lines break. It's called LIFE!

[powershop1903]

Ok, dude. Looks like you did a great job! I had my leaded waterline replaced and when it rains the water comes into the basement through that waterline hole! Not really a problem because the basement is unfinished but just annoying. Is there a way of sealing up the dirt hole from the outside of the house? I am planning to manually dig it up this spring. Thanks, Paul

[hougie21]

It works like this, The municipality, owns the meter in your house, the curb stop and waterline from there to main line. If the problem is in your yard it's your problem. In canada it's black municipal water line for services. Copper is bad because it's pit's and develops pin hole leaks, usually not for many years though.

[lucasmorter]

FUCK THE CITY!

[michaeltovar]

What I want to know is WHY they put copper back in the ground when it would have been cheaper, easier, and quicker to put poly in the ground instead? And the sidewalk falls on your contractor, he should have bored it, and why use an excavator when a trencher will do the job MUCH cleaner? And no, the water provider is NOT responsible for anything that happens on the private side of the meter.. If the "pressure" broke your waterline, it was a defect in YOUR line, and poop does happen..

[2cpus4me]

@michaeltovar - Copper is required by City Code here. They will not allow PVC... we tried. The lines have to be 42" or deeper. Pretty deep for a trencher. No issues with roots during the dig. The sidewalk was pretty much a wreck to begin with. The excavator seemed like a better idea since it could handle anything we came across.

[michaeltovar]

I didn't say PVC, I said Poly. WAY different. I work for the water dept here in my town and the ONLY thing we put into the ground now is poly service lines (blue Pex) and PVC mains... No metal lines go into the ground unless they are 30" or larger in diameter

[pts617]

Honestly, I do this for a living. I work for a municipal water supply and honestly, you got hosed. They should have paid for your new service. Not only that but they laid that service way too close to that tree. Tree roots are a major cause of broken water services. I would keep this video in your archives because within the next 5 years there is a good possibility that you are going to have another leak.