Rising cost of combined monthly Amenities/Water bill

[mixsonci]

I've noticed over the last 4 months my combined Amenities/Water/Sewer bill has gone up about $20 each month. In March it was $235.00 and this month it is up to $272. I was just wondering if this is normal or if it may signify a problem (and what may be the cause)? I have no problem if this is a normal occurance, maybe the time of year or something, but want to have it fixed if there is a problem. Thanks in advance. I do have tenants in my house but they have not been doing anything unusual and they checked to make sure nothing is leaking.

[N44125]

Irrigation for your lawn? Also, check sprinkler heads for leaks, broken, etc.

[karostay]

More water use = larger bill
Less water use = smaller bill

[mixsonci]

More water use = larger bill
Less water use = smaller bill

Thank you, no kidding. shouldn't have been that much larger water bill in March/April. Tenants turned the sprinkler system down so didn't go off as often. They didn't start taking 5 showers a day either.
As someone said in another post, it's no wonder people leave this forum when you ask an honest question and get answers like this?
But thanks for your brilliant logic.

[villages07]

Actually, though succinct, it was probably the best answer to your question.

The amenity/water/trash bill .... The only item that could/will vary greatly from month to month is your water usage. The amenity and trash fee are pretty much fixed with perhaps one small increase each year.

Take a closer look at your water usage...potable and non-potable (irrigation) and see which has increased. That will be your first clue where to investigate. If potable, you may have a leaking faucet or toilet. If non potable, either irrigation is running more often or you have a leak.

[mixsonci]

However, as I said in my other posts, my tenants checked for leaks and turned the sprinkler system down so it wouldn't run as often, but the costs are still going up by $20 a month. The best answer so far is maybe a problem with the sprinkler heads. So who can I get to check this out for me, any recommendations?

[Paulz]

You have to check to usage recorded on your water bill to establish a baseline and then investigate.

[BarryRX]

There may be some leaks that your tenants are unable to check and need the expertise of a professional to spot. I would start by calling the folks who installed your sprinkler system. You might try Jim Baumgarter (352-504-2317). I hear he does good work.

[mulligan]

I have a pretty accurate baseline after living here for 3 years, and my bill has actually gone down for the last 3 or 4 months. Either you have inaccurate programming in your sprinkler control panel, or there is an underground leak ( could be on either system) either way you need to have somebody check both systems and both meters.

[billethkid]

Call the water company and explain what ever you know athe time. They will send a technician who will check if there are leaks by watching the water meter.
Takes him only a very few minutes. All water in the house must not be in use while he checks.

There are two components to the water charge...potable and irrigation. You can reach some preliminary conclusions by looking at past months water useage.

As has been stated the only variable on the bill is water useage. And it does not take much of a leak to use thousands of gallons. Or your sprinkler timer has multiple run programs that need to be verified or not.

[OBXNana]

We just purchased in The Village and my question may not pertain. Do they read the meter monthly? In PA, we frequently get estimated readings for water and then it balances out (may be higher or lower) the next month.

Thank you for your post. We've only had 3 months of bills and now know if there is an inconsistency there could be more reasons than water use.

[buggyone]

I would guess that the problem is a leak in the water line. You can actually check it yourself. Turn off all the water inside the house, pull the cover off your water meter, and see if there is any movement on the dials. If there is, you have a leak.

You can also call The Villages Water and they will send a tech to do the same thing - for free.

[mulligan]

Meter reading is done monthly with electronic reading devices. The readers touch a device to the round disc on the cover of your meter boxes and the reading is recorded. Watch your bills, because errors, both human and electronic, have occurred.

[Bogie Shooter]

Thank you, no kidding. shouldn't have been that much larger water bill in March/April. Tenants turned the sprinkler system down so didn't go off as often. They didn't start taking 5 showers a day either.
As someone said in another post, it's no wonder people leave this forum when you ask an honest question and get answers like this?
But thanks for your brilliant logic.

The brilliant logic is just that. As has been stated the only variable is usage.
What has been the usage each month? I would not do anything until I knew the usage.
Unless they know what they are doing I would not rely on renters adjusting the irrigation system.

[mixsonci]

Thank you. I do have a Management Company so I think I will have them call the water company and investigate and if that fails I will call Jim as I know he has been highly recommended on this forum.

[redwitch]

The odds are the problem is in the sprinkler system. Give either Jim Baumgartner or Rupert Cross (352/406-8814) a call to check. However, if the variation is only about $20/month, the odds are that there is nothing wrong. More than likely, the rain sensor is adjusting as needed and watering more on dry days.

[slipcovers]

Change the flapper in the toilet tank. I had the same problem recently, toilet was running ever so slowly one could hardly notice. They wear out quickly, get soft, due to high chlorine in the water.,

[mixsonci]

The brilliant logic is just that. As has been stated the only variable is usage.
What has been the usage each month? I would not do anything until I knew the usage.
Unless they know what they are doing I would not rely on renters adjusting the irrigation system.

That may be but it didn't have to be done so rudely. I am not an idiot and realize more consumption means more money. However, I wasn't sure what the problem was. I was asking a simple question of what could be causing the rise in cost, for all I know it didn't have anything to do with water usage, (in Massachusetts one year I was hit with an extra $800 bill at my Condo because of excessive snow removal that year, nothing to do with the water consumption) that was my point, maybe the road needed repairing, what could the causes be? And everyone after that one has given me some very good advice which is all I was asking for to begin with. I am not in Florida at the moment, in fact, I am in Africa so I can't exactly walk over and look. This didn't have to turn into a fiasco if people can just be nice to each other. I would never turn someone's question into a smarta.. answer.
Anyway, thank you everyone for your help.

[graciegirl]

Mix, I reread the couple of answers you got and I didn't see it as smarta$$, it just seemed like a reasonable answer. What Bogie said is spot on, evaluate the water usage on your bill because is is the only variable.


You can call the water company too and ask them.


That is what you get, running off to Africa and hanging out with all those pretty giraffes. :wave: This...HERE is lower Paradise. Hurry home.

I am just teasing, not aiming to be a smarta$$.

[784caroline]

That may be but it didn't have to be done so rudely. I am not an idiot and realize more consumption means more money. However, I wasn't sure what the problem was. I was asking a simple question of what could be causing the rise in cost, for all I know it didn't have anything to do with water usage, (in Massachusetts one year I was hit with an extra $800 bill at my Condo because of excessive snow removal that year, nothing to do with the water consumption) that was my point, maybe the road needed repairing, what could the causes be? And everyone after that one has given me some very good advice which is all I was asking for to begin with. I am not in Florida at the moment, in fact, I am in Africa so I can't exactly walk over and look. This didn't have to turn into a fiasco if people can just be nice to each other. I would never turn someone's question into a smarta.. answer.
Anyway, thank you everyone for your help.

I suggest you "lighten" up. The post you are refering to was not rude.....direct and to the point... yes! People often respond, not only on this BB but many others, in short direct responses. Have you ever gotten a text message that you cannot understand what they are saying! I take every response for what it is and nothing more..some are worth while reading while others I simply dismiss. Also dont believe everything you read or hear on any BB including TOTV..... check it out and make your own decision based on other facts you can gather.

Regarding your issue, it sounds like you have a plan and a fair one at that. Since you are away you need to rely on your management company.

I just checked my bills and since the beginning of tJanuary, my feb/march and apr went up approx $10 each month but the the April bill Jumped $20 from March. I dont think your bills are that out of line considering you are not personally there to montitor water useage.

[CaptainMorgan]

Just because tennants don't see signs of a leak doesn't mean there isn't one. My Amenities bill suddenly went way up. I had sprinkler company and landscaper company check for leaks, they said everything was OK. I called Jim Baumgartner 352.504.2317. He did a brilliant job of diagnosing where the problem was (some where in roots in cluster of large palm trees) and bypassed the leak. Class guy!
Ed

[perrjojo]

Change the flapper in the toilet tank. I had the same problem recently, toilet was running ever so slowly one could hardly notice. They wear out quickly, get soft, due to high chlorine in the water.,
We had the same problem and it increased our potable use $20. Got the seal replaced and all is back to normal.

Since you are in Africa you may not have access to your bill but the important thing to look at is which water useage is up, potable or non potable.

[Sable99]

This is a little off topic but it happened to us in a rental a few weeks ago.

We noticed the sprinklers had been running for several hours. I hate to think what the owners water bill is going to be.

I texted the management company and he came over. He said he checked the settings a few days prior to our arrival and that the settings were different.

We think the villa might have had a power surge because the garage door had to be re-programmed and the street light also went out.

[dewilson58]

Maybe the tone sum responses are because it's Friday the 13th.

:censored:

[Barefoot]

That may be but it didn't have to be done so rudely...... This didn't have to turn into a fiasco if people can just be nice to each other. I would never turn someone's question into a smarta.. answer.

You stated tenants had adjusted the irrigation system so it wouldn't run as often.
Even experienced owners sometimes have problems adjusting their systems.
I would only allow a person that is experienced with the system to make adjustments. It can be tricky.

I assume it was the following post that you found offensive.
More water use = larger bill
Less water use = smaller bill

I didn't find it rude at all, just short and succinct.
I think the poster was just pointing out that the variables are few in the bill.
Most are fixed .. the water use being the one variable.

[zcaveman]

The only variable in the water/amenities bill is the water - except for once a year when your amenity fee goes up. On the bill is the number of gallons used each month.

I have a spreadsheet into which I put these numbers and have a formula that tells me month-to-month and year-to-year what my water usage is so I can watch for possible problems.

Without trying to upset you, why don't you take your last 5-6 months bills and make a spreadsheet to see what the difference is in your monthly usage?

If you are on south of 466 you can do both the potable water and the non-potable water separately and see if the problem is in the house or in your irrigation system.

Z

[Bogie Shooter]

That may be but it didn't have to be done so rudely. I am not an idiot and realize more consumption means more money. However, I wasn't sure what the problem was. I was asking a simple question of what could be causing the rise in cost, for all I know it didn't have anything to do with water usage, (in Massachusetts one year I was hit with an extra $800 bill at my Condo because of excessive snow removal that year, nothing to do with the water consumption) that was my point, maybe the road needed repairing, what could the causes be? And everyone after that one has given me some very good advice which is all I was asking for to begin with. I am not in Florida at the moment, in fact, I am in Africa so I can't exactly walk over and look. This didn't have to turn into a fiasco if people can just be nice to each other. I would never turn someone's question into a smarta.. answer.
Anyway, thank you everyone for your help.

Lighten up. We are here to help.

[janmcn]

With the amount of rain The Villages is receiving, there is no reason to be running an irrigation system at all. Tell your tenants to turn the system off and leave it off until you can have it checked out personally. And it's not even the rainy season yet.

[Neal2tire]

//////////////////

[rubicon]

mixsonci: Every suggestion preceding this post was on point. However, I am probably the only resident who believes we are being overcharged for water.
The water bill is such that there is a base charge for water and irrigation. On top of that is a three tier rating system not found in other water districts in florida. There are other fixed fees in this bill that make no sense

If the water district believes that people who use more water should pay more that is fine. However then why do they still charge a base fee?

I went two months not using my irrigation with no leaks as verified by Jim B and yet had appreciable charges each month, Just like cable companies, telephone companies and the like this utility has a monopoly and it is milking it for everything it is worth. the problem is they can and they can because no one around here complains. And no one complains because if they did residents would complain about their complaining

[DonH57]

Even though your irrigation system may have been set down if the rain sensor is not working you may be watering even when it's raining. I replaced ours and during this time year our usage has went down.

[perrjojo]

Wow ...30 replies so far...please let us know what you find to be the problem.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I'm in Lake County and I have to pay separately for trash so my bill only include water and amenities. But the water and amenities are itemized on my bill. Are the itemized on your bill? If so,you should be able to look at your last several bills and see what is going up. Also, the rate for water per gallon are on the bill. You should be able to tell if the rate went up or your usage went up.

[shcisamax]

Due to this thread, I checked our irrigation system. I don't know how or when it happened but the system had changed from 20 minutes to 31 minutes.

[mixsonci]

Thank you everyone, I got some really good advice and now have to figure out the easiest way to find the problem. Being that I am not in the US, I pay my bill electronically and the paper bill is sent to my mother's house, so I don't see them and can't compare them. I think I'll start by having my Management Company call the water department and check it out and go from there.

[buzzy]

Due to this thread, I checked our irrigation system. I don't know how or when it happened but the system had changed from 20 minutes to 31 minutes.

Probably the automatic seasonal change which is built into the controller. The newer Hunter controllers have a "Solar Synch" computer that contains both a seasonal profile and a humidity sensor. When the profile calls for more watering, the zone run times are adjusted upward. If the homeowner reduces the times, the computer bumps them back up over night. It's designed that way.

There are ways around this, including deactivating the Solar Synch, but they are not obvious. A pro would know.

[mixsonci]

Mix, I reread the couple of answers you got and I didn't see it as smarta$$, it just seemed like a reasonable answer. What Bogie said is spot on, evaluate the water usage on your bill because is is the only variable.


You can call the water company too and ask them.


That is what you get, running off to Africa and hanging out with all those pretty giraffes. :wave: This...HERE is lower Paradise. Hurry home.

I am just teasing, not aiming to be a smarta$$.

Humor is great, I love it and trust me I would much rather be there with you guys than here in South Sudan where there are no exciting Safaris to go on. I hate to rush my life away, but December can't come fast enough. Maybe I overreacted a bit but at the time it just hit me the wrong way.

[Barefoot]

Probably the automatic seasonal change which is built into the controller. The newer Hunter controllers have a "Solar Synch" computer that contains both a seasonal profile and a humidity sensor. When the profile calls for more watering, the zone run times are adjusted upward. If the homeowner reduces the times, the computer bumps them back up over night. It's designed that way. There are ways around this, including deactivating the Solar Synch, but they are not obvious. A pro would know.

TOTV is a great source of information. Thank you Buzzy.

I've never heard of Solar Synch before.
How very interesting.
You say "newer" Hunter controllers have a Solar Synch computer.
Do you know what year this started?

[PaPaLarry]

Irrigation water is more expensive, then regular water for house.

[DonH57]

I forgot to say to ensure the irrigation times are very early morning or very late evening to prevent evaporation loss thru wind and sun. I actually read that somewhere today too.

[784caroline]

Irrigation water is more expensive, then regular water for house.

Diagree..not when you add in the cost of the sewer. If you use 3000 gallons of potable water you will pay 3 X $1.80(per 1000 gallon) or $5.40 (plus base fees) for water but you will also pay 3X $4.33 (/1000gal) for sewer useage (plus base) or 12.99 or a total of $18.39 for potable water and sewer.

Irrigation water for 3,000 gallons is only $1.97/1000 galons or $5.91. You pay NO sewer fee using Irrigation water.

[Yucatan2]

I live in Lake County.........we only have one water meter, so it is base plus usage.
Sewer base on my bills is $26.97. I never even noticed it before reading this thread so I checked..........does that seem high? It has been that rate for the last 6 months.

[784caroline]

I live in Lake County.........we only have one water meter, so it is base plus usage.
Sewer base on my bills is $26.97. I never even noticed it before reading this thread so I checked..........does that seem high? It has been that rate for the last 6 months.

How much water (000's) are you using? In sumter cty the sewer bill for 3000 gal of potable water is $24.37 per month. (Base is $12.07 and $12.30... ($4.22/thousand up to !0,000 gallons).

For 2 people you bill appears to be in line with Sumter rates/useage.

[RetiredInTV]

Our irrigation costs increased by $57.22 with the 6/11/14 bill - almost double.

I've tried several times this morning to call VCDD and always get a recording - they are experiencing unusually high call volumes and I should call back at another time. There was no option to leave a message and have them call me back.

[Bogie Shooter]

Our irrigation costs increased by $57.22 with the 6/11/14 bill - almost double.

I've tried several times this morning to call VCDD and always get a recording - they are experiencing unusually high call volumes and I should call back at another time. There was no option to leave a message and have them call me back.

usage quantity, month to month?
checked controller for days to water?
checked controller for zone run times?

Not sure how VCDD can help.
If its a new house check with home warranty to find out who installed the irrigation system and have them come out an check things out.

[784caroline]

A thing often overlooked on the controller is You need to check the days to water and run times for each PROGRAM. On the earlier hunter controllers there are 3 Programs A...B....and C that can be set. Check each one separately.

[jtdraig]

I've noticed over the last 4 months my combined Amenities/Water/Sewer bill has gone up about $20 each month. In March it was $235.00 and this month it is up to $272. I was just wondering if this is normal or if it may signify a problem (and what may be the cause)? I have no problem if this is a normal occurance, maybe the time of year or something, but want to have it fixed if there is a problem. Thanks in advance. I do have tenants in my house but they have not been doing anything unusual and they checked to make sure nothing is leaking.

There are several irrigation specialists that you can find on line. We use Rick WIlder at Cripple Creek Lawn Services who we have found to be honest and reliable. His number is 352-279-1169 if you choose to call him but there are a number of Irrigation services around.

[jblum315]

This might not have occurred to you. When you have a power outage, even a brief one, the irrigation meter will set itself back to factory setting. That means the sprinklers go on every day. You have to reset it to twice a week or whatever your normal setting is.

[RetiredInTV]

As fairly new (less than a year) residents the info we needed is what to expect for irrigation costs for a corner lot during the summer.

Talking with some friends we've determined the increase in our bill was normal.

[Bogie Shooter]

This might not have occurred to you. When you have a power outage, even a brief one, the irrigation meter will set itself back to factory setting. That means the sprinklers go on every day. You have to reset it to twice a week or whatever your normal setting is.

I have a Hunter Controller and it has a 9 volt battery to avoid this situation.

[Barefoot]

This might not have occurred to you. When you have a power outage, even a brief one, the irrigation meter will set itself back to factory setting. That means the sprinklers go on every day. You have to reset it to twice a week or whatever your normal setting is.

:eek: I did not know that jblum. Thank you.

[gomoho]

Hasn't rained in 2 days and my grass is already showing signs of stress! Guess I'll have to irrigate and eat the charges.

[sharonga]

You are 150% right.

[eremite06]

Today's SUN in Home & Garden sec., There's a Watering Guidelines breakdown for average monthly consumption.

My usage should be 7200 gal. for irrigation. My bill shows 19,260 gal. last month.

They replaced the water meters on my street May 29. I've had my system off for about two weeks with all this rain. Will see what next months bill says.

[jgreensr]

i had a similar concern a few years ago. i called the water dept and they sent a man out. he hound my problem. i did not know my sprinkler controller had 3 program capability. a b and c. not knowing this, i must have programmed all three. my sprinklers were going off in the middle of the night almost every night. my bill wa going up about 100 dollars a month. he reset controller. problem fixed. was no charge.

[rjm1cc]

We had the same problem and it increased our potable use $20. Got the seal replaced and all is back to normal.

Since you are in Africa you may not have access to your bill but the important thing to look at is which water useage is up, potable or non potable.

The part that has the float that turns the water on and off can be replaced with one that does not refile if you have a flapper leak. It requires the toilet handle to be pushed down for the water to run. Should be at any big box store.

[buggyone]

Today's SUN in Home & Garden sec., There's a Watering Guidelines breakdown for average monthly consumption.

My usage should be 7200 gal. for irrigation. My bill shows 19,260 gal. last month.

They replaced the water meters on my street May 29. I've had my system off for about two weeks with all this rain. Will see what next months bill says.

Wow! You must have a huge water bill! Unless your sprinklers are being used more than once a week, I would guess you have a leak somewhere in the water line after it comes through the meter.

Have The Villages water company send out a tech to check it out for free.

[mickey100]

Lots of good information here. Thanks to all for posting!

[Paperboy]

CALL JIM BAUMGARTNER, he's honest & won't rape U on the charges.

[TheVillageChicken]

This might not have occurred to you. When you have a power outage, even a brief one, the irrigation meter will set itself back to factory setting. That means the sprinklers go on every day. You have to reset it to twice a week or whatever your normal setting is.

Most of them, mine included, have a nine volt battery to keep the settings alive.

[redwitch]

Most of them, mine included, have a nine volt battery to keep the settings alive.

Newer Hunters no longer have batteries.

[jimlocke]

My use is "up" over $100 and the house was unoccupied for a week. No leaks to be found. Welcome to The Villages.

[Bonanza]

mixsonci: Every suggestion preceding this post was on point. However, I am probably the only resident who believes we are being overcharged for water.
The water bill is such that there is a base charge for water and irrigation. On top of that is a three tier rating system not found in other water districts in florida. There are other fixed fees in this bill that make no sense

If the water district believes that people who use more water should pay more that is fine. However then why do they still charge a base fee?

I went two months not using my irrigation with no leaks as verified by Jim B and yet had appreciable charges each month, Just like cable companies, telephone companies and the like this utility has a monopoly and it is milking it for everything it is worth. the problem is they can and they can because no one around here complains. And no one complains because if they did residents would complain about their complaining

No, you are not the only one who thinks we are being overcharged. I have lived in more places than I have fingers and I have never had a water bill where I've had two separate water meters and the cost is different for inside and outside.

The developer is a very shrewd business man. He values his pocket more than he cares about you or me. He either has his hand in everything or simply owns the business outright. This is apparent when you think about the water system, the trash, electric, gas, recycling, etc. In a normal homeowners' assn. the residents own the amenities. Not here. Businesses here have gone out of business because the costs are so high: rent, utilities, a percentage of receipts, etc. A doctor here told me he has to pay for parking spaces (Morse owns the property) over and beyond what he pays for his office. Doesn't it strike you as strange that Brownwood still has so many unoccupied store fronts? Think $$$ in terms of costs to the businessman.

Why has no one complained about our trash. We have to buy clear plastic bags for his recycling, from which he makes money??? In addition, it's really an oxymoron. We have to put our recyclables in plastic bags that we buy??? Talk about stupid things. That's 50,000 homes X who knows how many plastic bags every week. That is scary! We are adding to the problem by using more plastic. Why don't we have recycling bins and trash cans like the ones Waste Management supplies to their residents? I guess it's because it costs too much money to supply them.

There are many great things about this community. But there also ain't no free lunch!

[graciegirl]

No, you are not the only one who thinks we are being overcharged. I have lived in more places than I have fingers and I have never had a water bill where I've had two separate water meters and the cost is different for inside and outside.

The developer is a very shrewd business man. He values his pocket more than he cares about you or me. He either has his hand in everything or simply owns the business outright. This is apparent when you think about the water system, the trash, electric, gas, recycling, etc. In a normal homeowners' assn. the residents own the amenities. Not here. Businesses here have gone out of business because the costs are so high: rent, utilities, a percentage of receipts, etc. A doctor here told me he has to pay for parking spaces (Morse owns the property) over and beyond what he pays for his office. Doesn't it strike you as strange that Brownwood still has so many unoccupied store fronts? Think $$$ in terms of costs to the businessman.

Why has no one complained about our trash. We have to buy clear plastic bags for his recycling, from which he makes money??? In addition, it's really an oxymoron. We have to put our recyclables in plastic bags that we buy??? Talk about stupid things. That's 50,000 homes X who knows how many plastic bags every week. That is scary! We are adding to the problem by using more plastic. Why don't we have recycling bins and trash cans like the ones Waste Management supplies to their residents? I guess it's because it costs too much money to supply them.

There are many great things about this community. But there also ain't no free lunch!


The water cost is so much more where I came from in West Chester, Ohio.

The trash here is picked up twice as often as where we have lived before.
I don't like trash cans. Plastic makes more sense because of the heat and the smell here, both in the garage and on the driveway. Sometimes it isn't perfect environmentally, but it works better.

A for profit business operates for profit. The doctor operates for profit. He could choose a less expensive place to run his business, but he chose to locate in a high traffic area. His choice.

It took just as long for business to come to the other squares. He could fill the slots quicker if he lowered the price. If you owned the squares would you fill them right away or wait?

Businesses here could choose where they located. They knew the price of rent ahead of time. They may have gone out of business because of poor planning, of being unused to the seasonal flow, or in some cases because the national chain went under or was going under. (For example Friday's, and The women's store I can't think of it's name in Sumter Landing)

A percentage of receipts is done all across the country in high traffic business areas. Everywhere. If you own a business it is a choice where you rent.

North of 466, they have just one water meter. South of 466 they use retention ponds for watering outside of the home. Some think that is a good plan and some do not. It is still cheaper than what Hamilton, Ohio charges. So I don't complain.

That pesky Gary Morse. If only I knew him. I think he is nice. but I could be wrong. I am glad he built The Villages. I wish every municipality in the country was run as well. I am a fan. Yes I am.

[tommy steam]

Just for your information. As you know sprinkler water can be expensive . It might be a good idea to have a company who maintains your system on a regular basis. One company that I see that advertise in the Sun , is Massey the bug company. They have a sprinkle division.

[DonH57]

I may have posted earlier to test your rain sensor. I replaced mine during the spring. My water use has stayed in check.

[drdodge]

more people more flushes ,more showers. more water useage, dont forget you pay for water that goes down the sewer

[mtdjed]

And here we go again!!!!!

[buggyone]

I just received my VCDD bill yesterday. The actual bill is quite small. I am north of 466 so there is no separate indoor and outdoor water bill. The actual water/sewer usage was only $5.27. The base for water is $7 and the base for sewer is $13.50. Total of less than $26 for water and sewer. Yes, we are full time and (yes) take daily showers!

I have not had my sprinklers on due to the rain and my lawn is green and growing!

$18 for trash pickup for 8 times per month is cheap, too.

Add in the amenity fee and it is not too bad whatsoever.

How much cheaper can you imagine?

[drdodge]

the sewer charge for water for the first10000 gals is 2dollar sand 7 cents per gal and 3.44 fper gallon water over that amount, read your bill correctly

[buggyone]

the sewer charge for water for the first10000 gals is 2dollar sand 7 cents per gal and 3.44 fper gallon water over that amount, read your bill correctly

Me?

[perrjojo]

I find the water here quite inexpensive. Perhaps that is because I have previously lived in drought prone areas where water is scarce. There is that old saying....Supply and demand. As far as using plastic bags vs trash bins, that's ok with me because with our small garages I would have not a place for large cans or bins. I guess it's all in what we are accustomed to.

[PaPaLarry]

No, you are not the only one who thinks we are being overcharged. I have lived in more places than I have fingers and I have never had a water bill where I've had two separate water meters and the cost is different for inside and outside.

The developer is a very shrewd business man. He values his pocket more than he cares about you or me. He either has his hand in everything or simply owns the business outright. This is apparent when you think about the water system, the trash, electric, gas, recycling, etc. In a normal homeowners' assn. the residents own the amenities. Not here. Businesses here have gone out of business because the costs are so high: rent, utilities, a percentage of receipts, etc. A doctor here told me he has to pay for parking spaces (Morse owns the property) over and beyond what he pays for his office. Doesn't it strike you as strange that Brownwood still has so many unoccupied store fronts? Think $$$ in terms of costs to the businessman.

Why has no one complained about our trash. We have to buy clear plastic bags for his recycling, from which he makes money??? In addition, it's really an oxymoron. We have to put our recyclables in plastic bags that we buy??? Talk about stupid things. That's 50,000 homes X who knows how many plastic bags every week. That is scary! We are adding to the problem by using more plastic. Why don't we have recycling bins and trash cans like the ones Waste Management supplies to their residents? I guess it's because it costs too much money to supply them.

There are many great things about this community. But there also ain't no free lunch!
I don't mind the plastic bags. It's quicker and easy to carry out 4 bags at once and put by curb side. If we had to have trash cans, I can just picture the amount of trash cans rolling around the neighborhood, if a quick storm came up. The sight of the empties in the street would really look unpleasant. And, how about if your can blew into neighbors yard and breaks their window??? I think I would rather stay with the bags!!!

[mrsanborn]

the sewer charge for water for the first10000 gals is 2dollar sand 7 cents per gal and 3.44 fper gallon water over that amount, read your bill correctly
Here in middle villages, the sewer charge for the first 10k is $4.33/thousand and base is $12.07

[pivo]

Check your sprinklers, my bill almost tripled the cause was 3
water sprinklers were leaking

[Bonanza]

I don't mind the plastic bags. It's quicker and easy to carry out 4 bags at once and put by curb side. If we had to have trash cans, I can just picture the amount of trash cans rolling around the neighborhood, if a quick storm came up. The sight of the empties in the street would really look unpleasant. And, how about if your can blew into neighbors yard and breaks their window??? I think I would rather stay with the bags!!!

You would rather schlep four plastic bags out to the street than wheel one trash can out? Really?

There aren't many "quick storms" that would cause trash cans to roll around. It certainly would be better than plastic bags being blown around and tearing open with trash strewn all over the place.

And a trash can breaking a neighbor's window? Don't you think you're stretching it a little bit?

[Phanatic Luvr]

Due to this thread, I checked our irrigation system. I don't know how or when it happened but the system had changed from 20 minutes to 31 minutes.

When setting your times for each zone, make sure you ALWAYS have your seasonal adjustment set at 100%. Some people don't even consider that and when they think they are setting it at lets say 25 minutes, and lets say they didn't look at their seasonal adjustment and it was really at 70%, it means you really set that zone for about 35 minutes, once your seasonal adjustment goes back up to 100%.

[janmcn]

Why anyone would feel the need to use irrigation water this summer with all the rain that has been falling is beyond comprehension.

[Barefoot]

Why anyone would feel the need to use irrigation water this summer with all the rain that has been falling is beyond comprehension.

Possibly because a lot of residents don't live in TV in the summer months.
And therefore they aren't around to weekly reset their irrigation systems depending on amount of rainfall.

[janmcn]

Possibly because a lot of residents don't live in TV in the summer months.
And therefore they aren't around to weekly reset their irrigation systems depending on amount of rainfall.

Isn't that a service that a home watch would provide?

[asianthree]

Isn't that a service that a home watch would provide?

Yes Charlene from the village sitter runs my system when she comes and this week sent me pictures of my sprinkler being blocked by grass and the water going to the street