I'd rather go and see a proctologist twice a day than go and see anyone in Council even once a year; however, when I received their plans for the planned Water Meter location I thought that 'biting-my-tongue-until-it-bleeds' had to stop for just this once.
The duelling commenced with an email I sent them. It was promptly responded to with a succinct "Thanks for your email last Friday. Please see a response to each of your questions/statements in red below."
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I have received your water and sewer plans.
With regare to the water supply, I noticed that the Water Meter location is at the outer extremity of the property. Does this imply that, in order to connect the property with the water mains, I as owner would have to instal all the necessary infrastructure from that far-away Water Meter location all the way to the house? Yes, this is correct. To connect the property to Council’s water mains you will be required to install all necessary infrastructure between your house and the water meter. If that is so, I would have expected that the Water Meter be located at least near the entrance of the property marked on the plan as "Gate". Furthermore, I would have expected that the sewer discharge line and the water pipe could be laid along the same route at the same time. Council requires that the water meter is located within 1m of the boundary of the frontage to Sproxtons Lane and as close to Council’s water reticulation pipe as possible. Council is not connecting existing plumbing to the water reticulation system, this is the property owner’s responsibility. |
That "property owner's responsibility" would mean laying at least some 150 metres of waterpipe instead of no more than (say) 60 metres if the location of the water meter was at the front of my gate. Quite apart from the part that the indicated location is the lowest point of Sproxtons Lane and almost constantly full of water and a veritable wilderness. Good luck to anyone who wants to install anything there!
Reloading on the run, I emailed back:
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Thank you for your prompt reply.
Given your reply, it is highly unlikely that I would ever connect to the water mains, not only because of its prohibitive costs but also because it is almost impossible given the existing topography, which perhaps has not been taking into account by your office. I would have thought that a logical arrangement would have been for the digging and pipe-laying of the water mains to be at the same time and follow the same path as the sewerage, but I guess logic doesn't come into it. Am I therefore at liberty NOT to sign off on the Water Meter Location Plan since I don't approve of it? As a matter of interest, could you indicate to me where the Water Meter Location would be for Number 33 ? Also, on the point of the topography, is the sanitary drainage from point BK to the right-angle bend by the gateway inside my boundary or outside? |
Council didn't take long in replying:
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As your properties are zoned RU1, Council is happy to exclude your properties from the water supply scheme for Nelligen. As a result, we will not provide you with a connection to Council’s water reticulation system and you will not be charged the annual water availability charge.
The water meter for #33 Sproxtons is proposed to be located in the South East corner of the Lot. The pressure sewer pipe is currently proposed to traverse within your property boundary, however, after reviewing the design I believe the main should be located outside your boundary in accordance with the revised plan attached. |
And here's their revised plan which is their tacit admission that the location is impossible, but they only admit to relocating their Sewer Boundary Kit. It's 'up yours' for the impossible Water Meter location.
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I have attached the two signed-off Sanitary Drainage and Water Meter Location plans.
I find it interesting that, following my criticism of the almost impossible location of both the Sewerage Boundary Kit (BK) and the Water Meter, you readily agreed to a relocation of the BK but did nothing about the similarly affected Water Meter. |
Pistols at dawn? I don't think so. I'd rather go and visit a proctologist! However, I did fire off a parting shot:
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Further to my "provisional" signing-off on the location of the Water Meter ("successful installation at that location highly unlikely because of prevailing topography"), I still maintain that the better location of the Water Meter, for both you as meter-reading authority and for me as user, is by my front gate.
Please discuss this with the powers-that-be, and if they insist on the same location, I would like to be quoted chapter and verse why the water meter must be located there and not, as is most sensible, by my front gate. |
