Water... but not in my garden

Over the past week or so there has been a water company van parked a short distance down our street. Each time I have passed, there have been men peering down a hole looking puzzled. Today I walked past and guess what? The hole has been filled in and... water is bubbling out of the seams. Bubbling out quite quickly I might add. How is it that no job seems to be properly repaired these days?