Men at Work

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This past week, there has been progress. A small mechanical digger, a wheelbarrow and shovels plus 2 men to operate them have wreaked havoc on our drive. They dug a trench from water meter to house wall and then into the garage, laying the new waterpipe complete with aluminium barrier. 

With piles of earth everywhere, along with that trench, it was hard not to recall the throw away comment of the Project Manager months ago when he indicated that once they started to dig, the garden would resemble the Somme. He wasn't far off.

Fortunately they've done a good job of putting everything back the way it should be. Now it's simply a question of waiting for the plumber to connect the house fittings to the pipe, followed swiftly by the joining of the new pipe to the water meter and at that point our supply of safe drinking water from the tap should resume. Talk about excitement; it won't be a moment too early when it happens.

I think the fervour hit the Project Manager too as he suggested that if we could live without the current water supply, they could speed things up for us by disconnecting the contaminated pipe, joining the new one but leaving the water switched off at the meter pending that final connection to the house. Yikes! We might be bathing elsewhere and drinking and cooking with bottled water, but how was he thinking we would flush the loos?

Still he did sensibly propose postponing the removal of the contaminated soil beneath the house until the Spring, when it will hopefully be easier to cope with the various limitations that the next phase of the remediation is going to impose upon us. 

All in all, therefore, a good week. One of retirement's best, despite the mud, noise and inconvenience. It feels like we are approaching an oasis, water is in sight and we can have a few months to relax and enjoy ourselves before the digging begins again.


Comments

Treaders said…
Finally some good news!!!! When those kinds of jobs are going on I always wish I could go away and come back when its over - you know, like in those makeover programmes - but that isn't possible, is it. Still, I'm glad you're finally getting somewhere and hopefully it will soon be done with!
10 November 2023 at 08:14
Caree Risover said…
I confess I’ve been out even more than usual this week!
10 November 2023 at 09:34
Marksgran said…
Sounds like good progress has been made. You'll be so excited to pour that first glass of water from your tap again! We take these things for granted until its not there, when we were doing our kitchen I was so grateful when I was able to use the kitchen sink again! Who'd have thought lol. x
13 November 2023 at 17:27
Caree Risover said…
So true - we've been using bottled water for almost 5 months now meaning that drinking or cooking with water from the tap is going to feel like a complete novelty. When it finally happens though I have a suspicion that I am going to find myself continuing to check the taste and odour for a longtime.
13 November 2023 at 18:47
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