Water supply

[sasfields]

The water supply to our house seems to have two 'taps', one in the cave which is after the water meter and is the one we turn off whenever the house will be empty for any length of time; the other is underground in the middle of the patio and needs a big 'T' shaped key (which we can't turn because it is too stiff) to move it.

After a recent cut in the supply - reason unknown - water has been leaking around the underground inlet following a sort of surge in the supply.  Has anyone else come across this and do you know what the purpose of this inlet is?

Thanks, Sue

[Val_2]

Sounds like something to do with your local Compagnie des Eaux who would use a key such as this. Give them a ring and ask if it is their stopcock and tell them it is leaking because it may be clocking up on a meter somewhere in the commune.

[sasfields]

Thanks Val,

Unfortunately we're not there at the moment and I dread the thought that they may dig up the patio to solve it! Don't have any neighbours who can help out, so it'll have to wait a couple of weeks more. Apparently the level had dropped when our visitor left, so it may have just been a surge and not a leak

Sue

[Motorhead]

If you're going to be away always turn the water off before the meter and then drain or purge (as the French say) the system. The chap who had my place before me didnt do this and the water in the meter froze and burst the thing causing the house and the one next door to be flooded.

If the tap before the meter is too stiff to use get your water supplier to fix  it's their responsability.

[Dick Smith]

Quite right, Motorhead (or can I call you Lemmy?) - and if he leak is after the stopcock you will be paying for it, drip by drip, so it is best to always cut off the supply if you are away and there is any chance of freezing.

[sasfields]

Thanks all. I checked with the OH. The tap inside the cave is before the meter too so at least we won't be paying for anything, and this is the one we turn off when we leave the house.

The difficulty here was that someone else was staying in the house and I was in the US, the OH doesn't speak French .....

I won't bore you any more and we will sort it out when we get back.