Mysterious holes in driveway appeared? Waterboard claim not them

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Davedave
Davedave Posts: 7 Forumite
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edited 20 March 2019 at 3:36PM in Water bills
Perhaps this isn't the best place for this post but can't think where else to ask...

Two mysterious holes appeared on my driveway a couple of days ago, which had been filled back roughly with tarmac.

Both were roughly 4 inches in diameter, close to both my water meter stop !!!!, and a drain cover.

I called both Wessex Water (sewerage, see big square manhole cover) and Bristol Water (small water meter cover just inside the paved area) and both said it wasn't them, no works planned or done by them.

No paperwork or card was put through the door and neither my girlfriend or I were notified. Whoever it was did a crap job of filling back in with tarmac (not even level) and didn't really bother cleaning up.

Any ideas what they did or who it could have been? Looks like a couple of exploratory holes to me.

i.postimg.cc/Sx5kPXqG/IMG-20190319-072221.jpg
i.postimg.cc/zG9Yj9St/IMG-20190319-072229.jpg
i.postimg.cc/4dGkCV0p/IMG-20190319-072242.jpg

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  • Ebe_Scrooge
    Ebe_Scrooge Posts: 7,320 Forumite
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    Very strong moles ?

    You say you have a water meter ? This sounds a bit far-fetched, but is it possible some unscrupulous person has been attempting to tap into your water supply, so they can steal your water instead of having to pay for it themselves ? Seems a bit extreme to me, but just a thought.
  • Davedave
    Davedave Posts: 7 Forumite
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    i.postimg.cc/Sx5kPXqG/IMG-20190319-072221.jpg
    i.postimg.cc/zG9Yj9St/IMG-20190319-072229.jpg
    i.postimg.cc/4dGkCV0p/IMG-20190319-072242.jpg
  • Davedave
    Davedave Posts: 7 Forumite
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    Yeah, don't think they could have tapped in, there's no trench dug leading back to another house like a trail of breadcrumbs :-)
  • PDC
    PDC Posts: 805 Forumite
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    Not easy to see from the photos - It looks like water has been coming from the holes, from the brown tracks. Has this cleared away now? - Just wondering if water has somehow forced its way up pushing the top of the tarmac up - it almost looks too good a colour match to have been replaced from what I can see.

    As you say though, they do look like round holes. No other works going on at the moment in nearby streets?

    IMG-20190319-072221.jpg
  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,612 Forumite
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    Looking at the collapsed block paving, I'd guess there's been a leak and someone has had a bit of a poke around to try and find it.

    Not necessarily the water co,possibly a contractor have you asked your neighbour if they know anything about it
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • Davedave
    Davedave Posts: 7 Forumite
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    edited 20 March 2019 at 8:49PM
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    The sunken paving was exactly like that 7 years ago when we moved in, it hasn't worsened since.

    The holes appear symmetrical and look like they might have been core drilled as each hole is the same size. the tarmac is definitely new tarmic filled in, with some of it left over sat on the road side of the kerb not swept up.

    The brown tracks looks to me light they might have just washed away some of the soil that came out of the hole... it doesn't track down the road beyond what's in the photo, nor has it washed away so don't think it was a leak.

    Can't see any other works in the street or nearby.

    I checked the gas box and the electric box and they're both cobwebby in there so not been worked on recently.

    I'll ask the neighbours, though won't expect they'll have seen much as they work during the day.
  • Lorian
    Lorian Posts: 5,707 Forumite
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    Why is there a (presumably replacement) triangle of tarmac there anyway -very likely to be connected.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,037 Forumite
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    matelodave wrote: »
    Looking at the collapsed block paving, I'd guess there's been a leak and someone has had a bit of a poke around to try and find it.

    Not necessarily the water co,possibly a contractor have you asked your neighbour if they know anything about it


    A contractor looking for a leak would be my guess as well. I would insist that whoever supplies your water attends to inspect and give an explanation.



    If they won't attend, contact the Consumer Council for Water with a complaint.
  • Uxb1
    Uxb1 Posts: 732 Forumite
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    Brown tracks could have been where they were using wet diamond drilling
    So using water as the lubricant for the core drill...which ends up a mud everywhere.
    hence the muddy track leading off

    All very strange I'd agree.
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