Watching the water board "professionals"

[Paul]

Burst pipe in the road led to a smart response by our local water workers.
2 guys dug it out, 2 guys patched it, a different crew filled it in, and the last couple of guys spread tarmac over the hole and tamped it down by driving back and forward on it. Total of 8 guys.

Then a "water inspector" appeared and put a standpipe up near by and flooded the road for 1/2 hour.
I'm guessing he was pulling water through the pipe to clean out the gunk.
Then (and this is the smiley bit) he drew off into a long plastic tube about a liter and stood peering at it for a couple of minutes before disconnecting his stand pipe and driving off.
I thought it was to check the clarity of the water until I walked past him and was gobsmacked to see just how unclear, brown stained, and mucky looking the water was.
I was about to butt in when he poured the water away and stood the pipe along side his van. Suddenly it dawned on me, the water was clear NOT his pipe. how the heck he could see that through this mucky battered test tube I'll never know.