Mail carrier skips delivery due to lawn sprinklers in Lynn

LYNN, Mass. (WHDH) -- A Lynn homeowner is angry after a mail carrier refused to deliver the homeowner’s mail because lawn sprinklers were on.

When the water is on, a Lynn man says his mail carrier just moves on. The homeowner says he was left high and dry when an important prescription didn't arrive on time.

“It shouldn't happen. Because if it's pouring buckets out, right, they should deliver my mail,” homeowner Charles Ragucci said.

Instead, Ragucci's mail was delivered a day late. Inside his mailbox was a postcard that said his house had been skipped because of his sprinklers which go off around the same time the mail arrives.

“You might get a little water right here and that's it,” said Ragucci.

The sprinkler system is set on a timer. It goes off at noon everyday and Ragucci says the amount of water shouldn't stop a mail carrier from reaching his door.

But that theory doesn't hold any water with the postal service which has reviewed Ragucci's complaint.

“I think it's very unreasonable to ask a carrier to become soaked to deliver the mail. It's bad enough in the weather when they have no choice,” said a postal service spokesperson.

Ragucci says a little water has held up his mail delivery three or four times before.

“I think it's a joke. I’m not being unfair,” said Ragucci.

But the postal service says it's with the mail carriers on this one, and if Ragucci wants his mail on time he'll have to set his sprinklers for a different time.