So the lady across the street decides she wants to have an in-ground pool put in "for her grandkids" to enjoy now. She has a couple of pool contractors come out and give estimates, good idea there. She makes here decision based on the contractor who tells her: "You DO NOT have to pay for the water for the initial fill of the pool, the City will allow you to do this by asking the fire department to hook onto a fire hydrant to fill the pool for the first time". Yep, they actually told her that, and she bit--real hard. When she called the City water department they sent a supervisor out to tell her the hard truth: NO, she cannot get the fire department to fill her pool, YES, she will have to fill it with her garden hoses and pay for the water. The water supervisor also called out the County Inspector as the pool was very close to the property line on one side. Way too close it seems. Now she cannot have a privacy fence installed, which is code for an in-ground pool, because the "extreme-most part of the pool (concrete walkway) is too close to the property line. Short version: The Inspector wrote her a citation--she cannot use her pool. I think she is mad at the pool contractor, who has been paid and gone.
OH MY, what a water bill
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Yes, another sad story in a long line of sad stories. Ouch!!
She could try for a variance - that's fun!
Condolences!
rossfingal
She could try for a variance - that's fun!
Condolences!
rossfingal
Complain, complain, complain about water.
I moved from Northern California because I just could not take the rationing anymore. We supplied water to Southern California and they never got rationed, had to turn their lawn sprinklers off, stop washing their cars and let their lawns go brown, or had to drain THEIR swimming pools.
So brilliant as I am, I move to State that drains its fresh water resources faster than than nature can replenish them.
I moved from Northern California because I just could not take the rationing anymore. We supplied water to Southern California and they never got rationed, had to turn their lawn sprinklers off, stop washing their cars and let their lawns go brown, or had to drain THEIR swimming pools.
So brilliant as I am, I move to State that drains its fresh water resources faster than than nature can replenish them.
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We don't allow people to touch our hydrants here either. We have a few hydrant meters that we will install in a VERY special situation, but it's typically only available to other government entities, like the Park District. They also step down the service size to typical garden hose, not fire-hose flow. If you are filling a pool, the only thing we will do is allow a one-time exception for the sewer rates. (We bill equal gallons for sewer service as the water you use). The only other way to do it is to have water trucked in.
Bah, the lake is big... what could possibly go wrong :whistling2:
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Ouch! that sucks. I pay a lot for my water but I'm kinda glad it's not metered. At least I don't have to put a price on things like filling up a sink, bathtub, or pool.
Though if I had a pool I'd have more trouble keeping water from overflowing! It rains way too damn much here.
Though if I had a pool I'd have more trouble keeping water from overflowing! It rains way too damn much here.
There are a few volunteer fire companies here that will fill a pool from their tanker truck for a donation, usually $300-$600 depending on the size of the pool. We live in a rural village though. The codes are not very well enforced around here and that has pros and cons.
We are not supposed to have anything built within 15 feet of the aquaduct behind our house and I am happy to comply with that because I don't want my kids near the aquaduct which only has a 4 ft chain link fence protecting it. But I have noticed other neighbors that have fenced in yards that incorporate that chain link fence into their yard. I guess if the Army Corps of Engineers needs emergency access, they will tear down those fences as they go.
Another thing is I am supposed to leave myself enough space to mow the lawn on the other side of my fence. I have neighbors that have no respect for the space I have left so I intend to move my fence right up to the property line and just not mow over there since they are already mowing up to my fence in spite of the fact that I have asked them not to. I know that nobody from the town or county will come by and ask me to move that fence.
I guess the moral to that lady's dilemma is she should have gotten a survey first and checked contractor references better. It sounds like she is now suffering because of the pool contractor's incompetence.
We are not supposed to have anything built within 15 feet of the aquaduct behind our house and I am happy to comply with that because I don't want my kids near the aquaduct which only has a 4 ft chain link fence protecting it. But I have noticed other neighbors that have fenced in yards that incorporate that chain link fence into their yard. I guess if the Army Corps of Engineers needs emergency access, they will tear down those fences as they go.
Another thing is I am supposed to leave myself enough space to mow the lawn on the other side of my fence. I have neighbors that have no respect for the space I have left so I intend to move my fence right up to the property line and just not mow over there since they are already mowing up to my fence in spite of the fact that I have asked them not to. I know that nobody from the town or county will come by and ask me to move that fence.
I guess the moral to that lady's dilemma is she should have gotten a survey first and checked contractor references better. It sounds like she is now suffering because of the pool contractor's incompetence.
I feel bad for her. She probably didn't know that she needed to talk to someone other than the pool guy. He should be sitting in jail.
So now she has a huge cemented hole in her back yard and she can't put a fence around it? Her grand kids probably can't play out in the yard at all now.
So now she has a huge cemented hole in her back yard and she can't put a fence around it? Her grand kids probably can't play out in the yard at all now.
In Saint Louis city or county (or most anywhere around)you can pay the fire dept. for a permit to use a fire plug they charge something like $20-$30 ( water is free) and they will usually lend you the spanner wrench. Tell her to call the fire dept. and ask.......alot of times their bored and may just show up and fill it for her in an hour or so.
Yup the pool guys messed up bad but the city isnt going to make her rip out a $30-$60K pool over 6" or a foot
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We charge $4.76 per 1000 gallons. So, a 40K gallon pool would cost $190.40 to fill. Double that amount if there is no sewer waiver for filling a pool. 40K is a pretty sizeable pool too. It shouldn't really be a huge hit to pay the water rates to fill it.
the only thing that sticks out in my mind is the low life P.O.S contractor who screwed this woman over.yes i know all the stuff bout needing a contract and contacting this person and that person, but most people dont know, and rely on a PROFESSIONAL to act professionally, I know so many great contractors and of course i know some shady ones, To bad to this lady
MJW,majority of homeowners are not competent in the manor of stuff like that, thats why they pay a professional.Because she does not know how to install a pool, or what ordinances she must follow doesnt mean she shouldnt have a pool if she wants one, not being argumentive with you at all so please dont take it that way
More info from the homeowner: The contractor was a good $3000 less than the next lowest pool bid, so she went with them. NO, she did not check to see if they had a license, the truck the original guy came out in was new and had his sign on the door. Doesn't mean a thing, does it? Granted, she does have a septic system so the pool had to be over to one side of the yard, but the contractor should have checked the local ordinances as to how close to a property line. But then again--he's an unscrupulous contractor at that. Our City water department does not give any breaks on water usage as for filling a pool, what goes through the meter has to be paid for. Being as she has this septic system, no sewer bill. She did contact an attorney as to what to do with this contractor. He is not licensed in our County, he is licensed in a County 60 miles from here. This will cost her several thousand dollars to pursue suing this contractor, and what would she get in the long run? The County inspector will not allow her to fill the pool until she applies for a variance on the distance her pool decking is from the property line. Her next door neighbor has agreed to sign papers stating he has no problem with the pool being so close to the property line. The concrete decking of the pool is within four (4) feet of the property line, is elevated, therefore the "rainwater" runoff is the problem. Lesson learned here, maybe.
The contractor probably counts on the fact that people can't afford to sue him and gets away with a lot of bad work.
I hope it all goes well for her. It's nice that her neighbor is so helpful. I'm sure they've already thought of this, but is there a way to slope the ground differently and/or add some kind of drainage system so that water doesn't drain into the neighbors yard?
I hope it all goes well for her. It's nice that her neighbor is so helpful. I'm sure they've already thought of this, but is there a way to slope the ground differently and/or add some kind of drainage system so that water doesn't drain into the neighbors yard?
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