The ornery nature of some people

[Oldgreybeard]

I suspect that the clay was previously plugging up the spring. Thinking about it a bit more, the least disruptive thing to do would be to just concrete in a vertical bit of drain pipe where we have the sump at the moment , coming out behind the new stone wall. That way I could just drop a small submersible pump down and run it from a small solar panel to pump water up to the pond in the garden. If the pump ever goes wrong I can just haul it up and replace it, a bit like our well pump.

[nowty]

I hope your haven't found what I found under my house 10 years ago.
At least I can laugh about it now.

[Oldgreybeard]

I hope your haven't found what I found under my house 10 years ago.
At least I can laugh about it now.

The thought of your epic adventure did cross my mind when we first found the spring . . .

The foundations seem to have gone in OK, although the spring is now flowing up behind the concrete and is running over the top and into the lane. The current plan is to dig down to where we have a drain running across to the stream on the other side of the lane and then put in a French drain to take the excess water away. I've set a bit of 110mm drain pipe in where we had the sump for the pump and that has about a foot of water in the bottom, so when the wall is completed I'll drop a small 12V submersible pump down the pipe and hook it up to a solar panel on the top of the wall. Should top up the pond, and if the flow rate is high enough I may run it into another water butt for watering the garden.

[Mr Gus]

Fingers crossed it is less trauma to deal with than your whinging local, ..at least it has potential use in a variety of scenarios.

[Oldgreybeard]

The saga continues . . .

Our new stone wall (very traditional, locally quarried stone, laid in the same way as field walls around here have been built for centuries) is about half height, and looking very nice indeed. We've been diligently washing the lane twice a day, making sure it's spotless at the close of play each day. This morning we had a visit from Wessex Water. They had received an (anonymous . . .) complaint that we had cut through one of their water mains. The chap from Wessex Water was puzzled, as he started off by saying that he didn't know of any water pipes of theirs in the area. I confirmed to him that we we have a well and a private sewage treatment plant, and don't use any services from Wessex Water at all. He said that tallied with their records, as they didn't even know our house existed.

Still had to physically show him the well, and the treatment plant, and dig out all the correspondence dating from 2011 where Wessex confirmed they were unable to supply us with water or drainage (unless we paid them an VERY large sum of money). I wasted half an hour doing all this, walking the lane with him, and pointing out the very end of their services area, about 140m away from us. He went off happy, but bemused that someone had complained about something non-existent.

A couple of hours later I had a call from a neighbour, pointing out that there was more gossip on Facebook about our damaging the (non-existent) water main. I've now put a sign outside asking anyone that has any concerns to contact me, rather than go behind my back.

We've never fallen out with anyone, everyone I've met locally has always been friendly and very interested in my efforts to reduce our impact on the environment. I was even asked to give a talk in the village hall a few years ago about ways to save energy and reduce heating bills. Clearly someone is a bit bent out of shape about what we are doing, but I can't for the life of me understand why.

[Stinsy]

It sounds as if you have enough put a formal legal letter together listing the vexatious complaints and asking the person concerned to cease their antisocial behaviour otherwise you'll seek a restraining order.

[Bugtownboy]

Jealousy.

I’m sure some people, even if they don’t want it or can’t do it are jealous of someone who is doing ‘something’.

It may very well be that you’re managing to live a self sustaining happy life.

I’d treat it with a very, very large pinch of salt - but keep a very accurate file and diary (plus pics) - contemporaneous written notes are very good evidence, and hope it doesn’t come to anything.

As a very sensible man once wrote, ‘Speak quietly but carry a big stick’ (Teddy Roosevelt, 1903).

[Bugtownboy]

Whoops, crossed over with Stinsy - agree with his comments. Just how quickly you want to escalate or try to cease and desist the mischief.

[Mr Gus]

Local letter in parish magazine & threaten litigation if caught for time, lies, distress.
Get an order for Facebook to reveal point of origin of problem & on whose account.
Then spend the money on **small claims** court shutting them down.

Do you have any sh1t WAGs in the vicinity, ..threaten to do a vardy type takedown & state they cease & desist herewith otherwise game on for pursuit, naming shaming & costs sought.get confirmation from all those being sent out that it's time wasting & malicious.

[spread-tee]

Be very wary and do your homework before going legal, those kind of records can be linked to future searches on your property which could impact you trying to sell or raise credit against your house. I know a few people in this situation and it is very bad news.

Ignore them, they will die of stress or wankerism long before you, open a bottle of red and enjoy the sunset

Desp