So what's the big deal?

     And Paula answered, "No, you really DO have to have functioning water and sewer lines, OK?"  I guess borrowing the neighbor's bathroom is really not a long-term solution after all.  And cooking with Gatorade doesn't seem like a realistic path either.

     So, what happened?  While working in the front gardens ("There was a weed.  I had to remove it.") Paula noticed a wet spot, even with some standing water.  It didn't seem to be really icky water, but we had the guy with the fancy camera put it down the sewer pipe just to make sure.   

     For all we knew, he might have gotten the pictures he showed us from Google Images, but whoever's pipes those were didn't look so good.  And we learned elsewhere that cast iron sewer pipes are usually good for 50 years or so and these had been in the ground for 61.  Oops.

    The estimates for replacing the water supply and sewer pipes ranged from one semi-ridiculously-high figure to five times that much.  We held our breath and said OK.  And no, not to the high one.

     The guys showed up early one morning and proceeded to drive the backhoe right through the landscaping and grass,

digging a trench from the house to the street, 

with mounds of dirt along the way. 

 

 By late afternoon, the new pipes were in and the dirt was back in the trench.  Some of it, at least.  There was a lot still heaped around, and even though I shoveled it back over the trench, it will take years to settle out again.  

     On the other hand, water comes into the house when you turn on the faucet and the other stuff leaves the house, so there's that.  However, the landscaping...

    Paula put a shovel in my hands and we went to work.  We'll be doing so for a looonnngg time.   

     So, I guess that was the big deal.  We would suggest checking on the age of your pipes, and if they're approaching 50, move.  Now.

 Dave & Paula