Water leak question
Trying to help an old friend.
She said water is collecting in front of her house and doesn't know the source.
Sprinkler guy says her sprinkler heads are leaking.
City says it is not their lines. Leak is after the meter
She has a pool but NO autofill
The water at the street "appears" to come from a black corrugated drain that empties at the curb. I think it is unrelated to her meter indicating flow.
It looked like a French Drain outlet so I went to the grate in the backyard and dumped 5 gallons of water in the drain. Not a drop went to the street.
I shut the sprinkler inlet off and shut the house supply line off...the meter still indicated flow (small red triangle turning)
I deduced the leak is between the street/meter and the house.
Sprinkler heads only leak when the sprinkler is on and it has its own flow indicator that is rock still.
A "specialist" plumber came out and his diagnosis is the tree next to her meter has possibly cracked a line.
The entire yard is equally moist. No swampy areas.
I considered that the house shutoff may have bypass and would allow flow BUT no sinks drip, no toilets run, so even if it is allowing flow...where is the water going? Ruled that out.
Big question is...The city planted the trees at the curb long ago. Do they have any liability in the repair if it turns out the tree cracked the line after the meter?
It looks like the sprinkler branches off BEFORE the main shut off to the house and before the sprinkler flow indicator. That would also explain flow with the house turned off. BUT still the ground is not swampy. Being in Texas means the lines are probably not even buried 1 foot, which should make the ground muddy.
What do you think is going on?
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