In 1998, an Arizona man secretly cut holes through Tucson's street curbs to steal stormwater. The illegal experiment eventually changed city policy

Global Science Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:53:50 GMT Moderate confidence — 73/100

In 1998, a Tucson resident named Brad Lancaster took a saw to the curb outside his home and cut six openings into it, creating small channels to divert rainwater off the street and into the space between the sidewalk and the road.
Cutting into a public curb without permission was against city rules, and Lancaster carried out the work quietly, often early on Sunday mornings to avoid drawing attention.
City officials remained unaware of what he had done for roughly three years, until Lancaster eventually told them himself, since the results of his experiment had become too striking to keep quiet

In 1998, a Tucson resident named Brad Lancaster took a saw to the curb outside his home and cut six openings into it, creating small channels to divert rainwater off the street and into the space between the sidewalk and the road.
Cutting into a public curb without permission was against city rules, and Lancaster carried out the work quietly, often early on Sunday mornings to avoid drawing attention.
City officials remained unaware of what he had done for roughly three years, until Lancaster eventually told them himself, since the results of his experiment had become too striking to keep quiet

Sources: Times of India