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For want of a sink that does not leak, we called the plumber.

For want of turning off the water, the plumber found the shutoff valve did leak.

For want of fixing the shutoff valve, the city was called.

For want of the city testing the external shutoff valve, they found it would not turn.

For want of a working external shutoff valve, the city did this…

Digger

Edge of the Pit

Depths of the Pit

To make a short story longer:

• Over the holiday weekend, I noticed a dripping sound in our master bathroom, but could not locate a source and want setting any sign of water.
• On Christmas, I noticed a small amount of water behind our toilet, but didn’t see any signs of where it was coming from. All the places I thought to check were dry, so I feared it was a leak inside the wall.
• We scheduled an appointment with our plumber for the next day, and I worked from home to let them in.
• Before they got here, I cleared everything I could out of the bathroom and discovered the leak was actually I’ve of the supply valves under the sink.
• The plumber arrived and have me two quotes.
  1. One to fix it on the cheap.
  2. One to fix it right.
• As I could have done the on the cheap fix myself (and likely had the same problem later down the road); I chose the later option.
• I then took the plumber down to our basement to show him the shutoff valve for the house.
• He quickly pointed out that valve also had a slow leak and needed to be replaced.
• As valve is the main shutoff to the entire house; so to replace it we need to shut the water off outside. Unfortunately (?) in our town, that external shutoff valve is owned by the city.
• The city is contacted and they say they won’t just schedule a time to come out to turn it off; they require a test of the valve first.
• They came out today but were unable to turn the water off from their valve.
• Fortunately (?) as they own that valve, we don’t have to pay to have it replaced.
• Unfortunately, to tear out that valve they had to tear out the fresh concrete we had put down earlier this year to fix up our driveway.
• Fortunately they will replace that as part of the job for fixing the valve.

Hence, my coming home to the pictures above. From what Michelle tells me, the city will be back tomorrow to finish fixing the external shutoff valve. Then we have to wait until next week to get the repairs done inside the house.

Ain’t home ownership just grand? *sigh*