You may have a problem called water hammer. Water hammer is a specific plumbing noise, not a generic name for pipe clatter. It occurs when you shut off the water suddenly and the fast-moving water rushing through the pipe is brought to a quick halt, creating a sort of shock wave and a hammering noise. Plumbing that's properly installed has air chambers, or cushions, that compress when the shock wave hits, softening the blow and preventing this hammering. The chambers can fail, though, because water under pressure gradually absorbs the air. If you never had hammering and then it suddenly starts, most likely your plumbing system's air chambers have become waterlogged. You can cure water hammer by turning off the water behind the waterlogged chamber, opening the offending faucet and permitting the faucet to drain thoroughly. Once all the water drains from the chamber, air will fill it again and restore the cushion. If the air chamber is located below the outlet, you may have to drain the main supply lines to allow the chamber to fill with air again.

The air chamber will not drain properly if it's clogged with scale or residue from chemicals or minerals in the water. The chamber always should be larger than the supply pipe to preclude such clogging. Since the chamber is simply a capped length of pipe, however, all you have to do to clear it is remove the cap and clean out the residue.

The water table in Carmel is high, so many meter pits in the city have water in them. That does not rule out a leak in the meter pit. An indicator of a possible leak would be very clear water in the meter pit. Ground water usually looks cloudy or dirty, though there are times that ground water may also be clear. If there is persistent clear water in the meter pit, call Customer Service at 317-571-2442 and a utility representative will investigate.