Posted on 02/25/2014 7:08:57 PM PST by PaulCruz2016
Near the end of 2013, a Florida official decided Robin Speronis was doing something too strange to tolerate: She was trying to live off the grid.
Off the Grid News reports:
Speronis has been fighting the city of Cape Coral since November when a code enforcement officer tried to evict her from her home for living without utilities. The city contends that Speronis violated the International Property Maintenance Code by relying on rain water instead of the city water system and solar panels instead of the electric grid.
And now, a judge has ruled that living independently of the city’s water supply is illegal. “She must hook up to the water system, although officials acknowledge she does not have to use it,” says Off the Grid News.
It’s not really clear why it’s illegal to live off rainwater — it just is. The law doesn’t understand, essentially, how it would even be possible to live without city-provided water. The fact that water regularly comes out of the sky is apparently not compelling.
The developer had to extend the main more than half a mile to get to the site.
The wells were filled with concrete making them totally unusable.
I think she should be allowed to do what she wants unless there is a health problem.
I live in the country and have my own deep well and septic tank. They both have always worked perfectly but I would hookup to city water and sewer lines in an instant if I could.
Satire?
“here in PA if public sewer or water lines come within a specified distance of a structure you must connect. “
Yep, they tried that crap here and we told them to go to hell.
Not where we live in NC.
‘When arguing this, modern Americans should know that water and sewage are not to be taken lightly, when people live in a city.’
I got a well and septic, and I live in a city. So, your opinion doesn’t mean squat. It’s also ignorant.
There is not enough information in the article to know.
I have been working in a pioneer cemetery. The first three burials c 1823 were children....all from the same family. I know they lived near a mill site.
As cities grew, these problems grew...and we began to try to control the sewage and provide potable water.
Be thankful for these resources.
bttt
Well, I suppose she could just let them hook it up, but keep it turned off at the main valve to the property. I don’t know if she gets charged for the “privilege” of being forced to have it hooked up, but I’m sure she will be. That’s really what this is all about, I’m sure. She wasn’t paying her “fair share” of the money the government wanted from her for the water service.
The City peeps are just trying to help her build a safer world.
Connection charges?
I bet she would still get billed despite no usage.
We have no hookup here.The county and the city are not connected and county residents want nothing to do with the city water system because they don’t want to pay for the services because they don’t need them.
You mean a paying poor slob who has to support the cities crummy water supply and sewer nightmare with some pipes over 100 years old full of sludge and bacteria.It reminds me of the awful bridges and highways everyone on the interstate has to drive on which are dangerous when they are forced to pay for via gas taxes.
“Anything that is not specifically prohibited, is mandatory.”
I prefer it in the original German:
“Alles, was nicht zwingend ist verboten!”
“My point, is that I would like to see some serious discussion on this, not just the first reaction that most of us have.”
How much serious history can you stand?
;-)
Point of fact - many Florida homes once used rainwater off their roofs for drinking and other household uses.
Note: “It (rain) falleth on the just and the unjust”.
Lots of rainwater, but Gubmnet can’t figure how to charge for it - yet.
I’m a little confused. I am under the impression that if you can’t or don’t pay your water bill for a few months, the provider (city in my case) cuts of your water, same as other utilities. Is this not the situation?
“When arguing this, modern Americans should know that water and sewage are not to be taken lightly, when people live in a city.”
Americans also know that Europeans use composting toilets in high rise buildings, among other places. Off sewer life is possible, clean, and does not support a swarm of socialist oriented AgencyPersons.
Judgie Pooh is afraid the Poo Dept and the Water Nazi crowd may not get the cash flow to which they have become accustomed.
It was on Austin news a few minutes ago, that since residents have been good citizens in reducing their water usage, rates are going up about $5 per mo.
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