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Apparently they still dowse...

Andrew Wiggin

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This morning I got off work and drove home in a hurry to fill buckets, because we're getting a new water line put in to the house, hopefully so we can stop getting freezing during the winter. Last Friday the surveyor came around, did a bunch of measuring, spray painted lines on the lawn, put in a bunch of stakes and flags, and generally planned the whole thing. This morning the diggers showed up right on schedule, and after some token digging around, some wrecking of the sidewalks, and some shovel leaning, decided to confirm the survey by whipping out a black box with a handle and a swinging radio antenna. The head digger fella just walked across the dig, right along the nice line the surveyor had painted, watched his antennas swing about, and confirmed that in fact the guy with all the fancy equipment can measure correctly from the curb. Now they are confident enough to finish the trench and they've started digging again. Somehow I don't think I'm going out to argue about it, really need the work done and all, but the wife and I just shared some incredulous looks and a 'what the **** are those idiots doing' moment. I guess this is still a thing.
 
Yes, water pipe boys are often into dowsing. You know, they need to, because once you locate the main supply valve for a house, out in the sidewalk, you really need magic to discover how it usually makes a beeline for the nearest part of the house, because those guys originally putting down the pipes were really keen on digging long, winding trenches.

But, right, don't discuss with them:

1) You want the work done.
2) Guys who dig holes for a living are usually pretty strong.

Hans
 
MRC_Hans said:
Yes, water pipe boys are often into dowsing. You know, they need to, because once you locate the main supply valve for a house, out in the sidewalk, you really need magic to discover how it usually makes a beeline for the nearest part of the house, because those guys originally putting down the pipes were really keen on digging long, winding trenches.

But, right, don't discuss with them:

1) You want the work done.
2) Guys who dig holes for a living are usually pretty strong.

Hans
Click to expand...

According to the surveyor, it goes from the junction across the street, which they exposed with their backhoe straight to the exposed shut-off valve under my eaves. Good to have that confirmed by high tech radio antenna twaddling.
 
I've seen this behavior before. My conjecture was that they were non-union and needed a ruse to give themselves a (much needed) 15 minute break.
 
When I complained about low water pressure the utility guys came out and declared that the pressure reducer was fine and the problem was in my water line to the house which I would have to dig up. He then whips out his collapsible dowsing rod, whips it around for a bit and spray paints a line from my water shutoff valve (next to the power meter) to the garage electrical junction box.

When I pointed out that he marked a line from the meter to the junction box, he gave me a number for the right people to call. A day later my yard was marked with paint in another location showing the water line running from the valve to under the house where it tapped into the house valve. It was not until my neighbor who was on the same reducer complained about low water pressure that they admitted it was a utility problem. I complained about the potentially life threatening markings that the dowser painted but was not told they would put a stop to it.

Ranb
 
madurobob said:
I've seen this behavior before. My conjecture was that they were non-union and needed a ruse to give themselves a (much needed) 15 minute break.
Click to expand...

I'd be surprised if this was it. Right at noon, they popped open their lunch boxes and took a 1 hour sit. There was much shovel leaning at various times too. Not much for shovel guys to do when boss-man is swinging the backhoe. The whole antenna swinging business couldn't have taken much more than five minutes. They got it mostly wrapped up by fourish, which was almost exactly when they said they would. I figure (I hope) they'll be back tomorrow to pave.
 
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