At home or at work, Indiana-American Water Company just doesn't give a damn. Hint: Few monopolies do.

For the second time in less than a year, the water's off because the Indiana-American water monopoly (why?) was doing "routine" maintenance sans prior notice, and in the process of being "routine," broke a valve on a fire hydrant, requiring a water shut-off for an entire block or more, except that this time, it won't cost my business $10K in lost sales because it's just the homestead, and the cats already have water in their bowls.

The dentist office next door might not be feeling as charitable. Good luck to them as they try to extract anything beyond a "gee, we're sorry" response from the utility monopoly.

Coincidence?

Maybe, just maybe, INAWC delays its "routine" maintenance for too long, thus increasing the odds of "unexpected" valve snappings owing to neglect? Anyone keeping records on how many times such valve breaks occur? It might make interesting reading.

Let's go back to the future, and recall what happpened in 2010.

No State Police poaching at the Pizzeria & Public House tonight, because IN-AWC learned "routine" in Pyongyang.

Hats off to Indiana American Water for making something called "scheduled maintenance" from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. (which we were not once told was even happening) into a neighborhood catastrophe lasting all day on Friday. If they were in a mood to return phone calls, I'd give you their side of it.

Eventually, humans began answering the phone and actually calling me back, and the theme was universal: It isn't our fault.

Normal hours at the Pizzeria & Public House today, and HBG at Bank Street until 4:30 p.m.

If you are an employee of Indiana American Water, you'll be charged an additional 300% at both our locations to help begin recouping the money lost owing to your company's incompetence yesterday. Thanks for understanding.