Water Meter - Troubles

[Dustin B.]

Hi All, 

Just wondering if anyone else has ran into this problem or how you would handle it. 

About 3 weeks ago I purchased a vacant lot on main street in a small rural Utah town. As part of the sellers disclosures they said there was city water hookups at front of the property. I checked and sure enough there is a water meter there, so I decide to purchase. I went to the city to see what permits I need to build a build and hook up the water to the meter. The city informed me that the house to the west of my property is hooked up to my meter. 

I asked what I need to do to get them unhooked so I can hook up and they told me they aren't going to unhook the water from the neighboring house. I talked to the seller and he said you should have water there, the city is looking into it further, but last they told me the line was servicing my property and another line would have to be put in to service the house. Another fun fact the city water main is on the other side of main street which also happens to be a state highway, to get water across and hooked up it will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $15-$20K which wasn't in my budget. 

Part wants to tell the neighbor you have to unhook and deal with getting water, but the city won't give me any sort of documents stating that I have a right to that line. Part of me wants to go to the seller and say you need to deal with this as the property was purchased with the understanding of having water. 

Just not sure what to do. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Wayne Brooks]

@William Hochstedler That's make more sense for this case then.  The existing meter is not "his meter", it's on city owned property.  It still seems there would be an adequate line in that city owned strip, and OP just needs "his meter" installed and hooked up adjacent to the existing one.