Inquirer: It looks like water leak will be a homeowner issue

Concerned Reader Alberta called me last week to ask for help with a water problem.

One of her neighbors has a water meter in front of her house, just like the rest of us. But her meter is leaking, slowly and steadily, producing a small stream across his right-of-way and into the street down past Alberta's Fulton Avenue house. It's also bringing some mud with it.

"I called the city and they came out and said it's a Water Works problem," Alberta said. "So I called the Water Works and they said it was a city problem. I called them back again and they came out and said it's on private property, so there's nothing they can do about it."

So which is it and will someone fix it?

I drove over there and had a look, and the leak appears to be coming out of the roadside water meter box, which I would assume would make it a Water Works problem. But the extent of my expertise with water is I know how to freeze it and put it in a glass of Woodford Reserve.

So I called the Water Works and got ahold of Joey Murphy, who is a senior vice president overseeing, among other things, the Meter Department. I explained the situation and he said he'd investigate.

He called back and said they had been called to that address in August and had determined that the leak, which at the time was very small, was indeed on private property, on the house-side of the meter. The water seemed to be migrating back to the box, giving it the appearance of coming from the meter.

He said they talked to a neighbor because the woman either wasn't home or wasn't coming to the door.

They also left her a note explaining that she should have the leak repaired. But just to be sure, Murphy said he would send a field supervisor over to check it again and make sure it's not an issue the Water Works can repair.

(They can't get into the private repair business, of course.)

"If there's anything we can do about it, we will," Murphy said. "If not, we'll make sure she knows about it and knows that she needs to have it repaired."

Update

Cognizant Readers will remember the saga of Pat Grantham, with the leaky carport and unfinished enclosed patio from the same contractor.

The contractor is supposed to come over and bring the carport up to code, she told me. After that, there is still the matter of the enclosed patio, which is still ugly and unfinished.

For that, they will meet in court.

Stay tuned.

Seen something that needs attention? Contact me at 706-571-8570 or mowen@ledger-enquirer.com.

This story was originally published December 14, 2014 at 10:30 PM with the headline "Inquirer: It looks like water leak will be a homeowner issue."