No water meters/plumbing

[wtsall]

Hello,

I recently bought a duplex and realized that it has no actual water coming into the house, whoever was living there i think was stealing it. There's no water meters, nothing, just a mess of jerry-rigged PVC in the crawlspace.

I wanted to know what I do and who I call. I talked to the water company and they just kept telling me that the water meter is somewhere on the side of each duplex, I found where the meter readers probably were but there's absolutely nothing inside the house.

I'm just really confused and guessing that this is going to be a really expensive issue. Can anyone make suggestions? I live in indianapolis.

 

[Chris]

I don't know of any jurisdiction that would let you build without a well or city service so I am sure there is or was something there at one time. If there used to be a city service that is good because the tap and piping are already there. Call Dig alert and tell them you will be excavating and they will send out the city to mark the utilities free of charge. This number should work for you? Might be a different number where you are but it is called dig alert. 1-800-422-4133. Request to be there when they mark and the utility guy will call you and you can talk to him while he is there. Aside from that you would have to go to their office and research if there is a lateral on the property. They really should know over the counter what you have.

 

[wtsall]

no that's not the problem, i've had them mark where things are supposed to be, there's nothing in the house, no point at which plumbing comes out of the ground. I had lines marked in the grass where plumbing SHOULD be and they go to where the meters probably USED to be but there's nothing on the inside. this is what it looks like. (attached photo)

I have waste lines and the sewer main etc, but no supply. I don't understand it.

 

[Chris]

What is that copper pipe coming out of the ground? The one that is poorly capped? Also where does that copper pipe come from that comes out of the wall?

 

[wtsall]

I don't know, I have a feeling they dug down to the water line and tapped it with a copper pipe and that's how they stole water but I don't know, none of this crap is connected or makes any sense, it's like a blind schizophrenic did it. But who do I talk to about fixing it... and how much will it cost?

What is that copper pipe coming out of the ground? The one that is poorly capped? Also where does that copper pipe come from that comes out of the wall?

 

[Chris]

A plumber would be my guess. He could at least look at it and trace it to see what is going on.

I am a little confused. You have a water service coming to your house but no meter in it? Or you don't have a water service coming to your house? If no service than they couldn't have dig down and tapped anything. The main is in the street and your service stops outside the house occasionally inside a basement.

 

[wtsall]

Citizens Gas and Water says that I have water, they marked where the lines go but there's nothing in the house, it's possible that what there is is buried in the crawlspace but there are absolutely no meters.

 

[Chris]

Is there any water being fed from either of those two copper pipes coming in? Also is it the water company saying you do not have meters? It is possible someone connected to where the meter is supposed to be illegally and buried the connection.

 

[wtsall]

the water company keeps telling me I have meters and meter readers even though I've told them I don't and/or can't find them. They are just following whats in their system but... obviously there's something missing. I can't remember If I checked but I don't believe any water is coming from the copper pipes but I'm guessing that the city turned the main off to the house anyway since the house was abandoned for half a decade. I guess I need to go back into the crawlspace and dig down to the pipes but it still doesn't make sense because they don't put meters in crawlspaces but if they put it near where they said the meter readers were then it would be in the middle of my living rooms, there's only 3 closets in the entire house, 2 upstairs and a tiny one under the stairs on the first level. I also don't see a location where meters would have been.... I'm very confused and Citizens Gas and Water wasn't giving me any answers.

 

[Chris]

So are they refusing to come out and show you where the meters are? When you called dig alert where they able to mark out any lines that you could dig down on and find? If they are saying they are there than they probably are, somewhere. Will they give you a map showing meter location? They should have one.

Go to their engineering dept or new construction and not the people you pay the bill to. They should have all teh info you ever need or someone that can help you.

 

[Chris]

Do you live in Park Ridge?

 

[wtsall]

Even if they said there were meters, there aren't, there's literally no place for meters to exist, I even looked in the freaking, maybe I need to just yell more but citizens gas and water has a 1.9 google rating for reason. If there are still water supply lines going to the house I could still potentially dig outside of hte house but but the age of the house makes me think it'll be like the house I live in where the water lines are 8' deep.....

 

[wtsall]

no I live i Indianapolis, the house is in "englewood" in indianapolis near Lasalle and Washington st.

 

[Chris]

OK, makes sense now.

I tried going on their website and it is of little help. They do make it hard to get a hold of the right people. I would call their business line. You need to find the right person over there that can help you. Someone from engineering or public works would probably be the best bet. If they have an office you can go to that would be easiest.

 

[wtsall]

Alright thanks. I'll have to do that in 2 weeks, have too many things going on. I'll save this post.

Thank you for responding and everything.