Newsletter Member Needs Help

Mike,
In December of 2005 I had two water leaks in my front yard, caused by pin-hole leaks in my copper water line. The leaks in the pipes were from the street to the house, thus the responsibility to repair was left up to me and not to the water supplier. My home is 4 years old and I do not understand why I should have such a problem with a newer home.

I called a plumber to repair the two leaks and from what he says it appears to be either a problem with bad copper piping or electrical current going through the copper pipes. Because I was not the original owner of the home, but the second owner, the builder said they were not responsible to repair the leaks. Remember, this was back in December of 2005. Well, this week my neighbors on both sides of me have encountered the same problem with water leaks. Although they have not had their problems repaired yet, the plumbers that have looked at their leaks do confirm that it is again, either bad pipes or electric current passing through the pipes. I do have a ground wire running from my electrical box and grounded on the inside to the copper water pipe line.

Also I have found out that all the wiring (i.e. phone, cable, gas, electric) is in a tunnel ditch going across the copper water line from the water meter to my house. I live in Kentucky were the building codes permit such utilities to be tunnel placed as such.

Mike Holt Comment: It's my understanding, based on studies by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), that alternating current flow does not create this problem. I'm willing to change my opinion if someone has a study to support the claim that pin hole leaks can be created in metal piping because of current flow. Do you have any thoughts?