I agree with Roberts statement, the nuetral is the path back.
But in defense of the poster of some 12 years later, I have found, twice in the last 20 years, where the neutral was snapped at the mast and there was no longer that path back, in this case the ground would be the path back. Scary!!
In both cases people were living in the house going about there daily lives, both times I called Duke Energy and both times they had someone out there before I left to fix it.
What? Huh? My eyes glazed over after this.
I think the real reason lies within this part of your statement. Admittedly out context.
Would that not just turn every circuit into 240v?
Now why do you think the POCO actually moved their asses so fast in such a situation??
It shouldn’t, but the ground now acts as the neutral.
Far more likely because there is no WATER. That’s why it’s a desert.
I’m familiar with it but it has nothing to do with this thread or home inspection.
Too late… 
Hence “dry sand” and Dennis noted… 
No.