[Rewind]

I am not a chemist, but really need an answer to a chemistry question.

Where is the source of the water?

I have flooding in my garden I suspect is maliciously coming from my neighbour as it is right on the fenced border. Sandbagging that border suppresses some of the influx of water. If goes right up to my house. We are lower than my neighbour and there is no dampness anywhere else, even between the problem area and a back field which is cut off by a wall that is perfectly dry. (The latter is important).

We had a spot test done and it said there was chlorine in it. As the tester drove away the neighbour removed piping from his side of the fence at the problem area. We cannot see what is on the ground normally as he has it blocked with tarpaulin den like constructions.

The man returned to do a lab test. It showed it had a chlorination by-product suggesting recycled, grey water or drainage. At that time the water was more significant. The man suggested a washing machine, but ruled that out as there was no waste piping in the area on both sides of the fence and the water was too much. He then suggested the neighbour's massive above ground swimming pool which is almost adjacent.

When the landlord said his tenant was going to empty the pool for winter after two weeks of letting the problem persist after being informed, we had a massive influx of water, even though there was no rain. The water returned after the emptying, but not as much, but still a problem.

We got a home test kit and constantly find between 0.8 to 1.5 mg/l ppm of Cl2 in it.

The landlord now claims the water is from the back field and nothing to do with him. He has washed his hands of the whole situation.

Question 1: Could the lab test with the chlorination by product suggest rain water from the back field? Or is the pool more likely?

Question 2: Could the chlorine in the spot test and in our tests after the pool was drained suggest a different source from the lab test, eg from a tap? My understanding is chlorine will quickly go away suggesting the source is local and 'fresh'.