What is wrong with people?

[KleanRide]

The main water shutoff for my SS (my main, not the city meter) is built on a riser above ground right next to the sidewalk out front. No box, no protection, no nothing.

When I bought the wash last summer I was thinking "this could be trouble" but got busy with other renovation projects and never did anything about it. Then yesterday afternoon, with all 7 bays washing and a line waiting, folks start waving and yelling that the high pressure functions were cutting on and off in the bays. I went in the pump room and checked breakers, pumps, etc. Then opened the lid on the fill tank. It was empty with barely a trickle coming in from the main. Went out to the sidewalk and...sure enough...some jackass had walked by in broad daylight and turned off my water main.

So after handing out free wash cards to a bunch of angry customers, I had to jump in the truck and run to Home Depot for chains and locks. Good thing it happened while I was there, but damn I'd like to get my hands on that guy...

 

[OurTown]

There are some ate up people out there. Just think if you were not there when that happened.

 

[Randy]

I think you were right in thinking that "this could be trouble". I’d be digging it up and burying it in the ground in a box. Why would anyone in the right mind put the main shut off out by the sidewalk when they built the car wash, your just asking for trouble.

 

[Axxlrod]

Mine is just a typical ball valve, so I took the handle off.

 

[chaz]

I’d be worried someone would run into it

 

[Randy]

Mine is just a typical ball valve, so I took the handle off.

Why is there a valve outside the equipment room that the public has access to or could run into? That's what I don't understnd.

 

[KleanRide]

I’d be worried someone would run into it

It does have three steel/concrete bollards in front of it

 

[KleanRide]

Why is there a valve outside the equipment room that the public has access to or could run into? That's what I don't understnd.

Exactly, who ever built it before I bought it had way too much trust in mankind

 

[KleanRide]

Update: y'all may remember a thread I started awhile back about wringer sinks (which was another braindead idea by the original builder of this wash). Well, two weeks ago I finally took them out, much to the chagrin of every homeless turd and cheapskate in NE San Antonio. Got sick of my wash being a vagrant laundromat, bathhouse, and magnet for bucket washers.

Well, a customer this afternoon told me that it was one of my favorite bucketeers that shut my water off in retaliation. He'll soon be getting a visit from the law.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

 

[Randy]

Well, a customer this afternoon told me that it was one of my favorite bucketeers that shut my water off in retaliation. He'll soon be getting a visit from the law.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

And what do you think the police will do? Up here they'll do nothing.

 

[Axxlrod]

Why is there a valve outside the equipment room that the public has access to or could run into? That's what I don't understnd.

City made me put the valves in during permit review. The valves are right after the water meter. I guess to shut off water to the whole facility.

I've seen metal cages that are put around the valves to prevent unauthorized turning off of water. It was easier for me just to remove the valve handle.

 

[washnshine]

Can you just make that a straight run - take off the valve and put the shut off on the first run into your equipment room?

 

[KleanRide]

City made me put the valves in during permit review.

I suspect that was the case with my wash. It was built 20 years and I have no idea what the code/process was back then.

 

[Randy]

City made me put the valves in during permit review. The valves are right after the water meter. I guess to shut off water to the whole facility.

I've seen metal cages that are put around the valves to prevent unauthorized turning off of water. It was easier for me just to remove the valve handle.

When you say "valves" do you mean the backflow preventor? Up here in Washington state if you do any serious remodeling or new construction you have to move the backflow preventor out of the equipment room to the front just downstream of the water meter. Then you have to install a box over it with power to prevent it from freezing.

 

[John J Spokas]

The main water shutoff for my SS (my main, not the city meter) is built on a riser above ground right next to the sidewalk out front. No box, no protection, no nothing.

When I bought the wash last summer I was thinking "this could be trouble" but got busy with other renovation projects and never did anything about it. Then yesterday afternoon, with all 7 bays washing and a line waiting, folks start waving and yelling that the high pressure functions were cutting on and off in the bays. I went in the pump room and checked breakers, pumps, etc. Then opened the lid on the fill tank. It was empty with barely a trickle coming in from the main. Went out to the sidewalk and...sure enough...some jackass had walked by in broad daylight and turned off my water main.

So after handing out free wash cards to a bunch of angry customers, I had to jump in the truck and run to Home Depot for chains and locks. Good thing it happened while I was there, but damn I'd like to get my hands on that guy...

You must be near the equator. A water line run outside would freeze in the winter where I live.

 

[KleanRide]

You must be near the equator. A water line run outside would freeze in the winter where I live.

San Antonio (Upper Texico)

 

[Axxlrod]

When you say "valves" do you mean the backflow preventor? Up here in Washington state if you do any serious remodeling or new construction you have to move the backflow preventor out of the equipment room to the front just downstream of the water meter. Then you have to install a box over it with power to prevent it from freezing.

No. I'm talking about a 2" ball valve that is on the line. It's located near the BF preventer though. I took the handle off the valve.