Advice needed re obstinent public utility

[laura*]

Where I live, the property owner is responsible for water lines under their property.

They made it clear that the water company is responsible up to the meter, and the property owner is responsible beyond that. The meters are nominally at the edge of the road(s).

If it's under your neighbor's property, and it's not affecting them, but is affecting you since you are downhill, then the neighbor should fix the leak.

After my house, the road becomes fully private, but the water main keeps on going. There are actually two mains: Older World War I vintage rusting steel pipes have been partially replaced with new(er) pipes. I think the leak is in the older system, a cross connection between systems, or a defunct stub.

... California Public Utilities C. ...

Oooh! I like this! I bet the CPUC wouldn't be happy to hear the tales I can tell them...