[TowerTalk] water witch

[Brahmangou at aol.com]

As a plumbing contractor, we regularly are in a position where we need to  
locate a buried water or sewer pipe. Even in the old days, before all of the 
new  electronic line locating equipment, 95% of the time we would dig down 
directly  on top of the pipe. This comes from experience, knowing where most 
plumbers  would run a line, lay of the land, location of the city mains, 
and sometimes  something as simple as a slight indention in the ground where a 
trench was dug  20 years ago.
 
 
On more than a few occasions, most long ago, people would procure the  
assistance of a "water witch" to help (?), at such time the job immediately went 
 to a time and material format. They helped alright, helped me to charge a 
bunch  of extra hours for a backhoe and operator. I have dug quite a few 
extensive and  expensive holes on the direction of  some VooDoo Priest and his 
copper  wires/coat hangers. Never in my experience has one been successful 
in locating  the pipe in question.  It amazes me listening to the voodoo that 
some  people believe in.
 
Modern line locating equipment is the way to go. I can identify and trace  
out a pipe or wire anywhere to any distance and give you an accurate 
location  and depth to within a few inches. Remember, there is a reason for the 
mandatory  MissDig phone call. There are some very expensive and deadly lines 
buried out of  sight, underground.
 
Marty AB5GU