What does it take to get your water pipeline plumbed at Hapoli?

Patience…that too loads of, filled wallet (to buy appurtenances that may be demanded of by the plumber to set right the water line), some sweat and not to forget the neighbour’s complain. Well, that’s exactly what I found when I set to get my water line plumbed this Saturday.

This Saturday being second Saturday of the month-office off day, I decided to wake up late the previous night only to be woken up early at 8 o’clock in the morning (by my standard 8 a.m. is quite early, I being late riser) and told to complain about the water supply to the residence. Fearing, all the plumbers would be dispatched to various locations before I lodged the complaint, I rushed to PHE complaint room even without brushing my teeth to lodge my complaint. My complaint was lodged and I was assured that soon plumber would come to my residence to look after the problem.

No sooner had I finished my breakfast, the plumbers arrived and asked if I had given the complaint. I said, “Yes”. They asked me to show where the problem was (wasn't it their duty to check where the problem lie?). I presumed that the fault lied at the joint over the main road which might be broken due to vehicles plying over it (the main water supply runs across the main road and the pipeline that supplies water to my residence crosses the main road), so I told them to look at the socket over the main road and the union just after crossing the road. Without inspecting, one of the plumber asked me to bring a union, elbows and nipples. I obliged, in the process making my wallet lighter by 200 bucks, only to be told that hacksaw blade is required to cut-off the socket. Cursing the plumber for not coming without proper tools, I rushed to Hardware Store to buy the hacksaw blade, thereby making my wallet lighter by another 5 bucks again. My only concern at that time was that the waterline be fixed before 2.00 p.m. when they supply water, so that I may stock water for use, which was nil at that time owing to faulty water supply line. But, the horror was yet to come. The plumber while removing the socket after cutting it damaged the tread of the pipe. They gave up the work saying that die for making tread is not available with them or at their office and without the die work cannot be carried farther. They promised to come back on Monday with die to restore the water line (the next day being Sunday-the office off day). But, can you imagine yourself without water for 2 (two) days? So, I pleaded them to go and look for the die, which I was told, was taken to complaint at Siiro by another plumber, in my car and set right my water supply line somehow that day itself. After lots of coaxing and trying to make them understand that how horrible it would be to live without water for 2 days, finally, they agreed to go and look for the plumber that took the die, provided I drove them. With little choice left, I drove them around the town looking for the plumber and finally, we found the plumber that took the die to the complaint. Finally, my pipeline was restored at 12.30 p.m. Fully satisfied with the days labour (shouldn't I.....at least I prevented my family from living without water for 2 days), sweating it out to get my water pipeline fixed, I returned home only to be rebuked by the neighbour for blocking their water supply line. I wondered where my fault lies? Where has humanity gone? Hadn't I done them the favour by sweating out for around 3 and ½ hours to set right the water supply line (incidentally, I share the same water supply pipeline with my neighbour and the supply line enters my neighbour's residence before it reaches my residence)? And when water was coming to my residence, how on earth water was not coming to their residence? I had lost all the energy in setting right the water supply line to argue with my neighbour, I meekly said, "O.K. I'll complain about it the next working day".

So, if you are at Ziro-Hapoli, make sure you have lots of time to spare to run around looking for tools which the plumber wouldn't bring, has enough patience, enough money in the wallet to buy the appurtenances and are ready to take neighbours complain gracefully (I bet you wouldn't be left with any energy to argue with your neighbour), whenever you are trying to fix faulty water pipeline.