Pipes
A Cautionary Tale About Water Supply
Like most Westeners I took my urban water supply for granted. Sure, the local authority responsible occasionally turned it off for a few hours to fix its pipes but that was only a minor inconvenience.
I lost my complacency about it recently when the local authority upgraded its water distribution system in a nearby street and totally cut off supply to my house by accident.
On hand, I had an emergency home supply of drinking/cooking water in 2 litre containers but imagine not being able to flush your toilet – probably the worst element of my little crisis. Over a 24 hour period, I had to carry buckets of water from the neighbour’s place.
Turns out, the local authority contractor thought my water supply came off a pipe in a different street.
The old land title shows that my property and the neighbour’s was once a single corner section. Now it’s two, with my neighbour on the corner. On the title diagram my house is shown on its existing site with a bridge over a little stream to a car garage on the other side. Now the stream is piped underground and my neighbour’s home is on the former car garage site.
The water supply pipe to my house came through the original section and no easement was put in place when the original parcel of land was subdivided.
So I’m stuck (temporarily I hope) with an above-ground hose running from my neighbour’s outside tap to my house to provide my water supply.
I’m trusting the local authority to remedy that situation soon but I’m still waiting to hear their plans for it.
Like most Westeners I took my urban water supply for granted. Sure, the local authority responsible occasionally turned it off for a few hours to fix its pipes but that was only a minor inconvenience.
I lost my complacency about it recently when the local authority upgraded its water distribution system in a nearby street and totally cut off supply to my house by accident.
On hand, I had an emergency home supply of drinking/cooking water in 2 litre containers but imagine not being able to flush your toilet – probably the worst element of my little crisis. Over a 24 hour period, I had to carry buckets of water from the neighbour’s place.
Turns out, the local authority contractor thought my water supply came off a pipe in a different street.
The old land title shows that my property and the neighbour’s was once a single corner section. Now it’s two, with my neighbour on the corner. On the title diagram my house is shown on its existing site with a bridge over a little stream to a car garage on the other side. Now the stream is piped underground and my neighbour’s home is on the former car garage site.
The water supply pipe to my house came through the original section and no easement was put in place when the original parcel of land was subdivided.
So I’m stuck (temporarily I hope) with an above-ground hose running from my neighbour’s outside tap to my house to provide my water supply.
I’m trusting the local authority to remedy that situation soon but I’m still waiting to hear their plans for it.
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