Between a Rock and a Hard Place

After spending humongous bucks on plumbing repairs in December, I had to call the company back today. The outdoor hose bib at the back of the house was pouring out a steady stream, as it had before, and tripling my water bill. The work done in December was not warranted because the pressure coming in to the house was at 105 pounds per square inch, well over the maximum recommended of 80 psi. On the first call, the serviceman recommended that I install a special valve at the meter to reduce the pressure. At the time it seemed to be another add-on to fatten an already very fat bill, and I demurred. I learned later that the water utility actually uses stronger pressure in this second ring of subdivisions in order to have enough pressure for the ever-expanding third and fourth rings. Our summer water rates are predicated on how much we use from 11/15 through 3/15; thus I can expect very big bills no matter how hard I try to conserve. So I agreed to the special installation today, to the tune of $650. For that I get a one-year warranty and pressure reduction to 65 psi. Not fair that we in the second ring must go to this expense when the residents of the outer rings aren't even paying city taxes! But heaven forbid that the pipes in the slab floor should burst................