To them, Hsu Jui-ming was just a pipsqueak who had come to steal their water. Neighbors who did not understand what Hsu was trying to accomplish often sabotaged his water pipes, forcing him to rush to repair the damage almost every day. On one occasion, a neighbor drilled a big hole in a feeder pipe one meter below ground and covered it to leave no trace above ground.
當時因為有不明人士常常偷偷破壞他的水管，許瑞明三天兩頭就要跑到水源地去修補水管，還有一次，居民甚至將他深埋地下一公尺的引水管底部鑿個大洞，然後不著痕跡地掩蓋回去。