random thoughts – Day 1,679 – (Tuesday) – wet when dry

The news in October featured many stories about how dry October was. Tonight, it’s raining, but not very hard. It might be a start towards remedying the dry conditions, but only if it continues.

Bone dry everywhere except for here (10-28-24).

One place that mysteriously hasn’t been dry for the past couple weeks of dry weather is the front of my neighbor’s house, and by proximity, our shared driveway. Since the street paving project of 2018, the puddle that used to collect in the middle of the street now collects at the foot of my driveway when it rains, then it goes away after a while. During a rainfall, the water flows down the street to the drain in front of the neighbor’s house the other side of mine. 

No water is flowing to the drain with this current wet neighbor situation. My half of the driveway has had a substantial puddle for the past two weeks of bone dry weather that has included daily warnings about dry conditions and fire hazards.

Fortunately, my basement is currently dry and water pressure is normal, so I don't think the source is something on my property, but the house next door seems to be having some issues. Their front yard has a stone retaining wall that abuts the street. One corner of the wall and the entire edge along the street have been recently patched with some light-colored concrete that contrasts with the color of the wall. It’s wet all along the length of the wall and their half of the shared driveway, but most of the water has pooled at the end of my driveway.

On Monday, I submitted a service ticket on the city website. Hopefully, the water department can check things and figure it out. My favorite part of reporting the weird, watery issue was that it’s all online, just like entering service tickets at work. I was able to describe the problem and upload a photo, unfettered by restraints like water department business hours or having to speak to someone. Not that I’m antisocial or hate talking on the phone to strangers or anything. Ok, I am, and I do. And hopefully the water department can figure out what is going on and make it stop.