Sunday morning, I reached for the hot water tap in my bathroom, only to have it snap off in my hand, sending a six-foot geyser of hot water straight up to the ceiling. The shut-off under the sink was likewise dysfunctional, and there was a problem with the water main cutoff, too. Yes, the dreaded hat trick of disaster: I got me a flood.
Thinking quickly, I slammed a mixing bowl over the geyser to re-direct the water into the sink, where it could drain without more mess and potential damage. And then I started calling people.
First on the scene: The on-call guy from the Sacramento Suburban Water District. Now, I’m already grudgingly in awe of the water pressure my house has — water was literally bouncing off the ceiling when the geyser first erupted — and now I’m likewise impressed by the speed, helpfullness and thoroughness of the guy who turned up on Super Bowl Sunday to help. He told me my neighborhood is a “spider’s web” of pipes, and for him to turn off the water to my house from his end would require shutting off untold number of my neighbors as well.
He smiled, and shook his head, “I’m not shutting off the neighborhood on Super Bowl Sunday.”
A good call on his part, no doubt. And unnecessary, as it turned out. With the help of the plumber who turned up shortly after, major flooding disaster was averted and all will soon be fixed, with new cut-offs installed under the sink and on the water main into my house. New faucets, too.
But since I’m one of those people who sometimes grumble about taxes, fees and other costs of running the infrastructure, I have to be fair and note when that money seems well-spent, on municipal services that really serve — politely, professionally and promptly even on a Sunday morning. Thanks, water guys!
The Sac Rag 