This is what we pay taxes for?

So get this - the city sent us a letter a few weeks ago, stating their intention to replace our water meter and desiring us to set up an appointment for said replacement. Fine. Whatever. Appointment made.

The friendly lady from the water department came, attempted her work, pronounced it not good, and announced that, prior to replacing the meter, we would have to shell out for a plumber to come replace a valve (also involving the tearing up of concrete around selfsame valve). If this work were not completed in a timely matter, friendly lady informed, our water would be summarily shut off. We would then still have to pay for a plumber, and from thence the meter would be replaced and our water restored.

So, curiosity being what it is, I inquired as to the reason behind replacing the meter at all. Friendly lady said she didn't know, it was possible it was faulty, but more likely, said she, was that "some of the new girls in the office were just generating random lists".

WHAT???????