Help. Do I have a water problem based on this photo?
 

Hi.
Do I have a water problem here?

This is a photo of the water potable meter area next to the driveway.
We bought the house in September.
I mentioned this to the builder multiple times (even prior to and at walkthru) and he said this is typical.
I called warranty a couple times ... they sent irrigation people (they said they part is okay). ... they sent the potable water plumbers (they said their part is okay) ...
I figure if there is water here, then it is next to my house where the water pipe enters the house.
I called VCDD today a they are sending someone over to check meter area.

All of my neighbors' meter areas are dry. And it has not rain much. The house next door is not sold yet.

So, do I have a water problem ... or do you have the same level of water at your meter?

I appreciate all comments.
Thank you.
Gary

FYI ...
the potable water plumber hand pumped the water out a couple of weeks ago .. and at that point is was dry.
It is now filled up ... as high as it can go.

We had the same situation a few years back.The water company insisted that it was not their problem,I finally had to tell them that I would call a plumber and if it proved to be a problem with the meter(which it was)I would have the bill sent to them.The next day they came and corrected the problem.

Thanks, bargee
fyi ... we have received only one water bill so far from 9/24 to 10/7 (13 days)
(1) potable water = 550 gallons (my wife and I used the house for one week of that).
(2) irrigation water = 1,880 gallons.

If these are normal ... then either (my thoughts at least)
(a) problem with neighbor's water side
(b) leak between road and meter

Not water from the sprinklers is it?

Seems like a leak in a pipe. Turn off you house and sprinkler systems and see if the meters keep running. At least you will know if you are paying for the water.

Thanks, rjm1cc: I have had the water turned off at the house since Oct 2nd. (We are returning this week).

pooh: I can't imagine water from the sprinkler system filling up the area in the water meter area (but who knows). My neighbors don't have a problem.

Do either of you think it might be a leak from the road to "before the meter" ... or is that unlikely.

Thanks

if it was a leak ahead of the meter, that would explain the water.

We had rain 22 days in September and the area was pretty saturated (but not like your meter.

The ponds were at the highest we've seen in a while but now have dropped several feet from September (due to overseeding and watering).

I don't think you have a problem and let me tell you why. I bought a pre-owned home in Feb of this year and saw the same issue in our irrigation box. I also was fearful that we had a leak in our pipes. It turned out that our soil is such that it does not drain well (our area used to be a melon patch years ago). Whenever our sprinklers ran OR the neighbors, the box fills up and drains slowly over many days. After a few days, the cover isn't covered with water but if you pull the cover off, there is water in the cavity where the meters are. It never dries out completely because either my sprinklers or the neighbors run again and then it fills up.

A number of years ago, our mowers alerted us to soggy soil by our water meter. When we lifted the lid from the box, it was filled with water that was still gushing. The water company responded in a timely manner. To our relief, the repair person advised it was coming from the utility's side of the meter rather than ours. While he did his repair, he shook his head and muttered about the cardboard washers.

I didn't ask if he really meant cardboard or if that was just his term for a flimsy washer. Whatever he put in its place has served us well.

Yes, it is the water companies problem. We had that exact problem last month. It took them three times before they corrected it. Stay after them and be sure to be there when they work on it(our problem, we were working). They had to replace the entire box. It was actually creating a "sinkhole" underneath.

If the water stays at the level shown for some time, i believe you have a leak near the meter.

Thank you, everyone. Great feedback.
Hope to have this issue resolved soon.