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Started By
Message
Consequences of turning water back on after it has been turned off?
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:00 pm
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:00 pm
My son is pressure washing driveways this summer to earn money for college. He's at this old lady's house today and a Birmingham Water Works employee came by and asked if he lived there. He answered no, I'm doing this job here. The BWW guy said I gotta turn this water off and went and had a conversation with the old lady. She swore she paid the bill. She told my son to go take a break while she straightens the matter out. He called telling me about it and asked what he should do. I suggested turning the water back on to finish, get water from a neighbor,
or go back after she gets water turned back on. No other house is close enough to borrow water from. What would the OT do? Is it illegal or just a ordinance violation? Anyone know?
He's already been paid by the way.
or go back after she gets water turned back on. No other house is close enough to borrow water from. What would the OT do? Is it illegal or just a ordinance violation? Anyone know?
He's already been paid by the way.
19
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:04 pm to Harlan County USA
If they really wanted to get shitty about it I guess they could say he tampered with city government property.
Bigger thing is, most water meters take a special tool to urn them back on. Does your son (or you) have one of these? I think you can buy them at Home Depot or Lowes.
I have also seen cases where not only is the water cut at the meter, they put a small lock on it so that you can't just get the tool and cut it back on.
Question is, is the job worth the hassle to do all of that? If not, offer to give the lady a portion of the charge back. She may tell him to just keep it anyway, or ask him to come back in a few days when the water is back on to finish.
Bigger thing is, most water meters take a special tool to urn them back on. Does your son (or you) have one of these? I think you can buy them at Home Depot or Lowes.
I have also seen cases where not only is the water cut at the meter, they put a small lock on it so that you can't just get the tool and cut it back on.
Question is, is the job worth the hassle to do all of that? If not, offer to give the lady a portion of the charge back. She may tell him to just keep it anyway, or ask him to come back in a few days when the water is back on to finish.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:05 pm to Harlan County USA
Give the money back and let her use it to pay her water bill.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:07 pm to PJinAtl
quote:
Bigger thing is, most water meters take a special tool to urn them back on. Does your son (or you) have one of these? I think you can buy them at Home Depot or Lowes.
this isn't as complicated as it sounds, i do have the tool for it, but i don't even use it. Just use a wrench to turn the handle on or off
but to answer the OP - do not use the water after the city has already turned it off. that just sounds like a bad idea
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:10 pm to Harlan County USA
None of his business at this point. Offer to come back after the water is back on.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:11 pm to PJinAtl
Yeah I have that tool. Before that I used a crescent wrench.
I went outside to check my meter to see if it could be locked and it does look like it can be. I told him to hang out at his grandparents house across the street for awhile then to go talk to her about coming back.
I went outside to check my meter to see if it could be locked and it does look like it can be. I told him to hang out at his grandparents house across the street for awhile then to go talk to her about coming back.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:12 pm to Harlan County USA
When I was poor mine was turned off. I just turned it back on. Payed the bill later and never heard anything about.
Maybe refund what covers the bill? Turn the water on and finish the job. Good karma isn't a bad thing.
Maybe refund what covers the bill? Turn the water on and finish the job. Good karma isn't a bad thing.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:13 pm to TJack
quote:
Give the money back and let her use it to pay her water bill.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:14 pm to Codythetiger
quote:
this isn't as complicated as it sounds, i do have the tool for it, but i don't even use it. Just use a wrench to turn the handle on or off
I use "the tool". The long T handle one. Of course, you can do it with an adjustable wrench......but that puts you closer to the black widow spider that is in every single meter box.
ETA: It is a contractual obligation that every water meter box comes complete with it's own black widow.
This post was edited on 7/16/24 at 12:15 pm
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:15 pm to Harlan County USA
Usually when the water company turns your water off due to non payment they would either pull the meter or put a lock on it to prevent people from just turning it back on.
As was stated earlier, you don’t need a special tool to turn it back on, just turn the “knob” with a crescent wrench
As was stated earlier, you don’t need a special tool to turn it back on, just turn the “knob” with a crescent wrench
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:16 pm to Codythetiger
To add, you never know what flood you could cause by turning the water back on. The homeowner could have every valve turned on…. Once while doing similar work on an empty home we arrived to do our work. Water was off, but we only needed around 100 gallons, so we turned it back on, got our water then off immediately after. Later that day we received a call from the realtor informing us that the water line serving the freezer was unhooked and the valve was on. Replaced about 600 square feet of wood flooring and carpet.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:16 pm to Harlan County USA
Unfortunately I've been poor before and I've had to deal with this. Usually when they turn it off at the street they just use the big wrench thing to literally just close a valve. Like others have said, it can be reopened with either just a simple wrench, usually, or at worst you can get that rebar-looking tool to do it easily from Home Depot or wherever. The times I've done this they eventually find out and come put a lock on it until you pay. I don't think anybody is getting arrested over it. The bottom line is the old lady needs to settle this and get her water turned back on properly.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:29 pm to Harlan County USA
Just offer to come back and finish the job when the water issue get's settled or give her the money back and say you can come back and finish when she get's it all straight.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:30 pm to Harlan County USA
I'd turn it back on and wash the driveway. I am just bent that way. My dad was arrested in the winter of 1973 because our power was turned off while he was out of town working and I kept turning it back on....even to the point of jumping the meter out with a piece of 12/2 romex. It was me and my 2 sisters 14, 13 and me at 8. It was February. It was colder than a well diggers arse. He was 5 hours away and due home in 4 days. He took the rap because he was afraid DFACS would get involved, which is probably true. We survived and are none the worse for wear....
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:33 pm to PJinAtl
quote:
I have also seen cases where not only is the water cut at the meter, they put a small lock on it so that you can't just get the tool and cut it back on.
Our meter in New Mexico was locked. All of them in our area were. Had to call and make an appointment to get it unlocked if you needed to turn it off. If it was an emergency had to call the Sherriff. I complied once. When the water department employee and the Sherriff showed up they both asked "why didn't you cut the lock off? Everyone else does". I did too.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:38 pm to LegendInMyMind
quote:
I use "the tool". The long T handle one. Of course, you can do it with an adjustable wrench......but that puts you closer to the black widow spider that is in every single meter box.
Truest statement ever penned in the English language. May be more than one....if its cold could be HUNDREDS of the damned things. I opened up a buried explosion proof J box once while sitting on my arse....in February...in a liquid natural gas storage facility with about 20 acres of gravel about a foot deep. When I removed that cover black widow spiders boiled up out of that box and spread like an ink stain across that grey gravel. I don't remember moving but the junction box lid hit the ground when I was 5 feet ahead of that ink spot and leaving it in the dust.....
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:40 pm to Harlan County USA
Every home owner should have a street key and wrench to turn the water on and off. Just go back in there and turn it on. When they get the water turned back on she will still get billed for it.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:52 pm to ChiTownBammer
quote:
I don't think anybody is getting arrested over it
A friend of mine was charged for doing this. He ended up getting the charges watered down.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:53 pm to Harlan County USA
quote:
the old lady
quote:
his grandparents house across the street
Teach your son a lesson in neighborly charity.
Have your son pay this old lady's water bill. It can't be more than $100.
Tell the old lady to pay him back when she gets a chance.
Posted on 7/16/24 at 12:54 pm to Harlan County USA
quote:
I suggested turning the water back on to finish,
maybe on property he/you own. not on somebody else's property.
This post was edited on 7/16/24 at 12:56 pm
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