New water feature ... ?

[Stephen Geis]

I've heard water features used to describe value-added additions to a property. Does a water main break qualify ... ?

Please excuse the cinema verite style of this video ... was looking to document water flow and location since I know the city will need to uproot our boxwoods in order to get at and fix this leak.

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/17464619" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/17464619">Water Main Break</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/stephengeis">Stephen Geis</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

 

[nolaSafari]

I've heard water features used to describe value-added additions to a property. Does a water main break qualify ... ?

Please excuse the cinema verite style of this video ... was looking to document water flow and location since I know the city will need to uproot our boxwoods in order to get at and fix this leak.

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/17464619" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/17464619">Water Main Break</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/stephengeis">Stephen Geis</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

I was going to ask if there was a fire hydrant near by and one showed up. More than likely your boxwoods are safe, the seat in the fire hydrant has failed or the hydrant is partially open and it is letting water past the seat and the water is coming out of the weep hole of the fire hydrant. Has the fire department been around checking hydrants recently ? The weep hole is there to let the water drain out of the riser pipe of the hydrant after it is used so a freeze will not split the hydrant. The seat back has two vertical ears covered with leather which block the hole when the hydrant is in use. If this is indeed the problem it can be fixed from the top of the hydrant with a hydrant wrench. I hope it is, it is a lot easier than digging up the yard. Be sure to show the below drawing to your Public Works Department.

Here is the drawing, look closely at part 42,43,44. They are the leather, rivets, and bushing which control the drain. Have fun. BTW you will now know more about fire hydrants than you ever wanted to.
Let me add that the water can travel a number feet from the hydrant before it surfaces. One check is to open the hydrant fully and see if the leak stops, is this mode the weep holes should be blocked unless the leather has also failed.
http://www.mh-valve.com/Fire%20Hydrants.pdf

 

[Stephen Geis]

Thanks for the suggestion!

We reported this to the utility department 16 hours ago and although someone stopped by to assess and prioritize, we have yet to see a crew out to try and stop the leak. I will definately show your pdf and explanation to them when they stop by today (hopefully before any digging occurs).

The hole is about 8 feet away from the hydrant and although I haven't seen the fire department around, it does appear that one side of the hydrant is not fully screwed on (although it doesn't appear to be leaking either)

Thanks again for the suggestion!

Stephen

 

[nolaSafari]

Good luck. Let us know what the out come is.

 

[Stephen Geis]

nola ... will do. It would be great if I could save the boxwoods, they were one of the unique items of this house's curb appeal that drew us to in when be bought it four years ago. The hole is now turning into a river.

The boxwoods form an "X" pattern when viewed from above, and we have two of these that flank the entrance path to our house. They were planted seven years ago and are fully mature. I do hope that they can be saved.

Boxwood pattern in a happier time ...

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2L_dkHc5rVNMUkfXJPWtHw?feat=embedwebsite">http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TPpF3ocvY_I/AAAAAAAACyg/vV945LX20Ho/s640/P1070606.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Water?feat=embedwebsite">Water</a></td></tr></table>

Here is a photo of the hydrant - the left side appears to have been loosened ...

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mq_aTJNFMMVmzqZgPpSd1Q?feat=embedwebsite">[img]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8rsKLcUXdBs/TPpDbpq_bdI/AAAAAAAACyY/5jo158FvSXY/s640/P1130167.JPG" height="640" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StephenAGeis/Water?feat=embedwebsite">Water</a></td></tr></table>

Curious as to how you know this much about fire hydrants...?