The City Engineering Office has issued a clarification concerning blue-painted municipal valves after several residents were seen turning the handles “to see what they do.” The valves are maintenance controls used by engineers, and the colour blue is intended to make them easier for authorised crews to identify quickly. It is not an invitation, a safety guarantee or a suggestion.
The clarification became necessary after one resident asked whether a blue valve could be turned if it “looked lonely,” while another argued that turning a valve back to its original position should cancel the first turn. Engineers rejected both interpretations. A third resident pointed out that the handle was within easy reach, which the Office says is a description of the valve’s height rather than a legal argument.
Several missing warning plates will be replaced this week. In the meantime, residents are asked to report leaks, damage or unusual noises instead of conducting their own experiments. The Office has also removed a handwritten sign reading “DO NOT TURN UNLESS INTERESTING.” Nobody has admitted making it, although somebody has already asked whether the word “interesting” can be defined more precisely.
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