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>doing something stupid could poison the whole town and so towns are paranoid. Why not have a backflow preventer at the mains and call it a day? I get electric

• EricE 5y ago
  There is more to it than that. The trades are a huge protection racket, and the municipalities are in on it. Yes, there are aspects of specialized knowledge where an actual tradesman provides significant value - but a lot of the bureaucracy exists to favor the incumbents, not to necessarily ensure you are getting a better or safer product. Insert the George Carlin quote about clubs here...