[Chellybean]

EDIT:
I just had a long conversation with Kelly Lam*ert and she is a Nice lady and said it has steered up a lot of discussions and no one in the district had given it any thought of the perspective of what i have brought up.
Its a matter of how it is looked at:

This will ruffle some feathers!!!!
At approximately 3/12/18 8:54 Am i had a representative of CH2M come on the property to check what they had gotten from the Villages Utility Office Kathy Lam$ert office in charge 352-750-0000 a work order saying there was a Dead Irrigation meter on my property due to lack of usage in the last three months.
First off during the winter during Dormant periods of grass growth most of us keep our Irrigation systems off which will cause a lack of Usage.
Mind you a Gentleman from CH2M had the audacity to come onto my property go in my irrigation system and turn on my sprinklers manually without so much as a knock on the door.
Second they have NO AUTHORITY TO DO SO! Not only to come on the property past the Meter Box, but to come on someones property and turn on there meter is breaking the law.
The Work orders generated by the Villages is triggering the CH2M to come out to see if the meter has Flow.
First off the Customer owns 100 percent of the system after the meter including the Nut hooking to the outlet of the meter.
The only way for the meter to be checked for flow is either pull it and replace it with another meter and take the meter in question back to the shop and test it and then put it back in stock.
Obviously this takes to much work to do so, so the tech took the easy way out because of The Villages Kathy Lam$ert allowed practice which was clearly admitted by her!!!
Even cracking the outlet of the meter to see if the Meter is registering flow is wasting water that is billed to the customer and is Stealing and breaking the law technically.
I would of had NO PROBLEM if the technician came to the door and ask to check the meter and either having me turn on my system or asking me if he could manually turn on a valve at the Pink Valve box on the side of my property.
Instead the tech took the liberty in turning on my system to see if the meter was working.
When i questioned what in God's name is he doing and if This is a normal practice, he replied yes.
When i called the Villages and spoke to Kathy Lam$bert 352-750-000 in charge of submitting work orders given to a sub company Ch2M that services the water department to fix our water system if this was NORMAL Policy she Replied "YES"
I stated how would you feel if someone came on your property an turned on your system:
REPLY:
"If someone turned on my electric without me knowing i would have a problem but not my irrigation system because i am in this possession and it is a Normal practice."
FYI folks they have No right to do this and its Stealing from every homeowner in the villages that has this DONE by a work order generated by the Villages for a non used system "dead Meter".
The Villages has no right on your property and furthermore wasting your water by turning on the system without your permission PERIOD.
No matter if it was a few cents in water or a few dollars they are BREAKING THE LAW!!!
The normal practice is to change the meter out if the homeowner is objectionible to turning on there system.
The real motivation is the Villages is worried about lost revenue or People that are stealing utility's!
I am outraged!!!
It was brought to my attention by "Director Of CH2M"John Bo*man that some technicians had 74 work orders today for dead meter's to be checked
That is 9.25 an hour or one every 6.5 minutes which is impossible for a tech to complete in one day or even 2 days.
I was also informed that the villages has a new system and this has caused these work orders.
I was guarantied by this individual that tomorrow they will inform all there tech's of a new practice and this is wrong 100% and he was unaware of the tech's doing this.
However he is Directed by the Villages in the Practice that they are to abide by because they are the customer for Ch2M.
I am outraged in this behavior by the villages and furthermore they had a 10% surcharge last year due to the drought but they have No problem wasting our water we pay for!
Lets see how many of you folks get outrage with this.
Also Don't Misunderstand i am very pro-Morse for what they have done for this area, but it is clear they have dropped the ball on this one.
Sounds like CYA to me.

[spring_chicken]

No outrage here. There are way worse things in the world to be outraged about. I don't even have a single ruffled feather.

[Chellybean]

Originally Posted by spring_chicken

No outrage here. There are way worse things in the world to be outraged about. I don't even have a single ruffled feather.

understood but they take to much control over this area and to have this practice is crossing the line

[Bogie Shooter]

Maybe a "go fund me" account could be started to cover the water that was wasted....................

[Chellybean]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Maybe a "go fund me" account could be started to cover the water that was wasted....................

i hope you understand it is the principal of the matter not the water that was used.
Next they will be entering your garage and turn on your system without your permission.
As soon as golf clubs come up missing then people will be Outraged. L.O.L

[New Englander]

I'm just guessing but maybe they do this checking because believe it or not a very small number of people steal utilities and this is a quick way for them to check. You don't steal the water so don't get upset about a little thing like that.

[Henryk]

Originally Posted by Chellybean

This will ruffle some feathers!!!!
At approximately 3/12/18 8:54 Am i had a representative of CH2M come on the property to check what they had gotten from the Villages Utility Office Kathy Lam$ert office in charge 352-750-0000 a work order saying there was a Dead Irrigation meter on my property due to lack of usage in the last three months.
First off during the winter during Dormant periods of grass growth most of us keep our Irrigation systems off which will cause a lack of Usage.
Mind you a Gentleman from CH2M had the audacity to come onto my property go in my irrigation system and turn on my sprinklers manually without so much as a knock on the door.
Second they have NO AUTHORITY TO DO SO! Not only to come on the property past the Meter Box, but to come on someones property and turn on there meter is breaking the law.
The Work orders generated by the Villages is triggering the CH2M to come out to see if the meter has Flow.
First off the Customer owns 100 percent of the system after the meter including the Nut hooking to the outlet of the meter.
The only way for the meter to be checked for flow is either pull it and replace it with another meter and take the meter in question back to the shop and test it and then put it back in stock.
Obviously this takes to much work to do so, so the tech took the easy way out because of The Villages Kathy Lam$ert allowed practice which was clearly admitted by her!!!
Even cracking the outlet of the meter to see if the Meter is registering flow is wasting water that is billed to the customer and is Stealing and breaking the law technically.
I would of had NO PROBLEM if the technician came to the door and ask to check the meter and either having me turn on my system or asking me if he could manually turn on a valve at the Pink Valve box on the side of my property.
Instead the tech took the liberty in turning on my system to see if the meter was working.
When i questioned what in God's name is he doing and if This is a normal practice, he replied yes.
When i called the Villages and spoke to Kathy Lam$bert 352-750-000 in charge of submitting work orders given to a sub company Ch2M that services the water department to fix our water system if this was NORMAL Policy she Replied "YES"
I stated how would you feel if someone came on your property an turned on your system:
REPLY:
"If someone turned on my electric without me knowing i would have a problem but not my irrigation system because i am in this possession and it is a Normal practice."
FYI folks they have No right to do this and its Stealing from every homeowner in the villages that has this DONE by a work order generated by the Villages for a non used system "dead Meter".
The Villages has no right on your property and furthermore wasting your water by turning on the system without your permission PERIOD.
No matter if it was a few cents in water or a few dollars they are BREAKING THE LAW!!!
The normal practice is to change the meter out if the homeowner is objectionible to turning on there system.
The real motivation is the Villages is worried about lost revenue or People that are stealing utility's!
I am outraged!!!
It was brought to my attention by "Director Of CH2M"John Bo*man that some technicians had 74 work orders today for dead meter's to be checked
That is 9.25 an hour or one every 6.5 minutes which is impossible for a tech to complete in one day or even 2 days.
I was also informed that the villages has a new system and this has caused these work orders.
I was guarantied by this individual that tomorrow they will inform all there tech's of a new practice and this is wrong 100% and he was unaware of the tech's doing this.
However he is Directed by the Villages in the Practice that they are to abide by because they are the customer for Ch2M.
I am outraged in this behavior by the villages and furthermore they had a 10% surcharge last year due to the drought but they have No problem wasting our water we pay for!
Lets see how many of you folks get outrage with this.
Also Don't Misunderstand i am very pro-Morse for what they have done for this area, but it is clear they have dropped the ball on this one.
Sounds like CYA to me.

Did you tell him to get off you property? Call the police and report trespassing.

[graciegirl]

I would never think to be outraged. If I saw the truck and the guy had on his uniform, I would think he was there to see if the meter was working properly. I guess it is where you grow up.

I am not a dummy. If the guy was suspicious in any way I would call L.E.O.s.

[pauld315]

I understand turning off irrigation in the summer months where it rains practically everyday but not during the winter with Augustine grass. You should be making sure your grass gets a good 1 inch soaking a week during the winter months.

[graciegirl]

I think people fear what they don't understand sometimes.

This is an old thread about the smart meters that newer homes have that can be read from the street.

SECO smart meters

[Chellybean]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I think people fear what they don't understand sometimes.

This is an old thread about the smart meters that newer homes have that can be read from the street.

SECO smart meters

Gracie you are correct it is where you grow up.
In New York you have thieves dressed up in Utility workers outfits and badges that look the same as the real ones trying to gain access into peoples homes to rip them off.
I just had a long conversation with Kelly Lam*ert and she is a Nice lady and said it has steered up a lot of discussions and no one in the district had given it any thought of the perspective of what i have brought up.
Just FYI!!

[Villageswimmer]

Originally Posted by New Englander

I'm just guessing but maybe they do this checking because believe it or not a very small number of people steal utilities and this is a quick way for them to check. You don't steal the water so don't get upset about a little thing like that.

Agree. Sorry you’re so upset but this sounds like standard practice. If they happened to find your meter is broken and charging for water you’re NOT using, wouldn’t you want to know? I don’t think they are wasting your water. If they had to wait to contact every homeowner to get permission and provide a full explanation, they’d waste a lot of time. Time is money. In the end we’d all pay for what amounts to unnecessary dialogue.

I hope this thread will give you peace of mind.

[EdFNJ]

They were at my place twice over the last year. 1st time they knocked 2nd time I wasn't home but drove up while they were here. BOTH TIMES was because I was using TOO MUCH water (compared to previous months use) so they wanted to make sure there was no leak or broken pipes. I guess there is good and bad sides to everything.

I wouldn't be surprised if SOMEWHERE in SOMETHING we signed when buying allowed this.

[Chellybean]

Originally Posted by Villageswimmer

Agree. Sorry you’re so upset but this sounds like standard practice. If they happened to find your meter is broken and charging for water you’re NOT using, wouldn’t you want to know? I don’t think they are wasting your water. If they had to wait to contact every homeowner to get permission and provide a full explanation, they’d waste a lot of time. Time is money. In the end we’d all pay for what amounts to unnecessary dialogue.

I hope this thread will give you peace of mind.

I understand your point.
But what happens if they force your system on in the solenoid box and break something or not shut fully off the valve 100% and you are back home in another home for a few months and you get a 1000.00 bill, then how would you feel.
I guess it is how you look at things.
There is a lot of bad contractors and utility works that either are improperly trained or idiots and not even aware they have damaged something.
I would rather be made aware and control my own system.
A text, email etc.. to make me aware would be fine and not cost anything and could be computer generated when the work order is generated.
That way if the customer wants to be there ok, if not so be it. At least we have a choice.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Chellybean

I understand your point.
But what happens if they force your system on in the solenoid box and break something or not shut fully off the valve 100% and you are back home in another home for a few months and you get a 1000.00 bill, then how would you feel.
I guess it is how you look at things.
There is a lot of bad contractors and utility works that either are improperly trained or idiots and not even aware they have damaged something.
I would rather be made aware and control my own system.
A text, email etc.. to make me aware would be fine and not cost anything and could be computer generated when the work order is generated.
That way if the customer wants to be there ok, if not so be it. At least we have a choice.

I am sorry you were so upset.

I hope things are sorted out so you won't worry.