The water main under our quasi-private street is leaking. The leak has been gradually getting worse for ten plus years. The street is on a hillside, and my house is right next to and downhill from the street. The dampness is recently showing up along my foundation.

I finally investigated the issue. I have a metal detector and was able to detect the iron in a massive comma shaped underground plume of rust. Thus I know where the leak is within one square foot - unfortunately under pavement on neighbors property. I also dug a pit in my yard to confirm dampness.

I went to the rinky dink water company and they essentially blew me off. Yeah right - like a leak from my 25 gallons/day consumption could keep several thousand square feet of hillside damp. In July.

Even a backdoor approach via someone who knows someone has been fruitless.

At this point, I have several choices of how to proceed, among them:

1) Go back to the water company and complain more forcefully.

2) Get a lawyer to write a letter to the water company. (I have a lawyer's contact information.)

Which should I do? I'm not a lawyer using type of person. I'll be happy if they simply stop the leak. However, maybe it is important to start establishing a legal trail. Perhaps when the ground dries out, our road will settle into a sinkhole. My neighbors might want the water company to pay to fix it.

Any advice ladies?

(BTW, lots more details omitted from this post.)