Rising Damp

For some time the road outside the Small House in Duns has been damp, then wet and we noticed water oozing out from near the Scottish Water stop cock hatch outside our gate. The Very User Friendly Scottish Water website allowed us a wide range of contact methods, possibly pigeon post included, but we opted for the e-mail. Like rubbing Aladdin's magic lamp. Quick response (On a Sunday) and action promised next day. Huttonian was pontificating in Embra so the wife received a visit from the engineer bearing a card asking him to 'investigate rising water' Which he did explaining how lucky we were that the mini Niagara was outside our property and therefore Scottish Water's sole responsibilty. He left and according to the wife the leak appeared to have stopped.Road dried up. But on returning much later from Embra I noticed that the rising water had risen, after only one day, and was flowing once more. Looking at the card the engineer had left behind there is a section which asks: Is Work Complete?
The word Yes had been circled and NO ignored.

On to the computer. E-mail re Service Request Number 2556096/87/098-H?-56231 or similar. Within seconds the phone rang. Customer Services. I went through the problem-leak-engineer-Mission Accomplished-more leak-help' Yes said Customer Services Mr Taylor had reported customer absent but customers wife on scene. Rising Water looked into and a repair request flagged up. But why, I asked, had Mr P Taylor indicated work complete? 'Silly Old Pete' said Customer Services.

Well said the middle son in law on a visit 'Work Complete' refers to the investigation of Rising Water no repair indicated. Right on. Logical when you think of it. But yet the water had stopped running for a bit so Pete must have had a crack at fixing it but lack of confidence in his ability to do so had presumably led to him 'flagging up' the problem.
So now the procession starts-first the rising water investigator, then the Flagger up Confirmer and finally the leak fixer.

This saga, I fear

will run and run
(I asked Flickr for an image of Scottish Water-this came up. Our leak is not that bad. Yet)

Later (Friday) the man from Scottish Water who came today is obviously the Flagger Up Confirmer. No actual flag but he left the notice tied to our fence indicating all was under control. No action this day.Monday

Just a thought. One someone at Scottish Water tells colleagues that he is going out for a leak, what exactly does he mean?

Labels: Leaks, Scottish Water, Small House in Duns

  ¶ 9:39 AM