Friday, June 28, 2013
WATER
On Monday, June 17th, a co-op maintenance man paid us a visit with papers in hand. His purpose was to inform us that we seem to use a lot of water. He asked us how many people live in the unit, did we water flowers, or did we have any leaky faucets. I told him about our upstairs toilet's valve, which doesn't shut off properly.
On November 2, 2011 I had forwarded a list of work orders to our Property Manager, which I had resent to the office on August 23rd and on September 13, 2011, containing a work order for the toilet. We did not hear back from the co-op.
The maintenance man wrote up a work order for repair of the toilet. That was almost two weeks ago - no one has yet to come by to do the repair.
Seeing that other members were also questioned about their water usage, the visits may have been prompted by higher water rates being charged by the city, rather than members' usages.
We are being inundated with water news lately. CHF has posted news about flooded out housing co-ops in Calgary.
http://www.chfcanada.coop/eng/pages2007/enews.asp?id=614&type=eNews
Ottawa as well needs a little more sunshine.
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I suppose there's nothing to stop Co-op from legitimately trying to address a water issue if there is actual wastage. Something like that could form part of annual inspections if your co-op does those.
ReplyDeleteBut then where is the line drawn between legitimate "fact-finding" and intrusion? The Maintenance guy who showed up to your unit had no business asking how many people lived in unit. Co-op already knows that. All unit rents include water/sewage (that's pretty standard). If you're in a TH, are they not equipped with individual water meters? The information could be easily obtained from the meter.
They may be looking for causes of excessive usages like in your case, faulty toilet. But to go beyond that and trying to get specific info about your usage is going overboard.
I think tho, as you alluded to, it's all about increasing water rates. The City has decided to hike water rates annually for the next five years. I believe it is 7% per year. So in a big complex that can add up to a lot of money esp for financially tight co-ops.
Problem with co-ops that have apartment buildings is that there are no individual meters --- it all comes on one bill.
I'm sure co-ops are all going to be wringing their hands to see how they deal with heavy water users but I can't see anything realistic coming out of it. Of course, there will prob be an influx of conservation memos (maybe even with threats of higher rent increases) being dutifully handed out to all Members. Just as predictably, it will have little, if any effect.
Are they going to dictate how long you can shower, mandate that toilets be flushed only every 5th time of usage, wash dishes in no more than 3 inches of water? Of course, that would mean forming a "Water Police" Committee.
Oh joy.