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Water Bill Foreclosures ?

Rainy Day in Galifornia

In San Diego, we have become quite accustomed to Bank Foreclosures throughout the area. And as things begin to ease a little in the housing markets, the residents of San Diego have a new little monster to stare down and deal with, rising water bills with mandatory curtailment of water use.

Barring a month of steady daily rain, San Diego homeowners are entering an era in which water usage is going to become an issue as significant as what we have been facing in the current mortgage and housing crisis.

While we are seeing the mortgage and housing crisis beginning to ease a bit in the San Diego real estate markets, it is almost beyond comprehension for it to be replaced by an epidemic of water bill foreclosures.

Now that we have our mandatory water conservation and water use curtailment under way, looming large on the horizon is the prospect of water rationing. And for those that have plants that survive the current water cut backs, it is very possible they will start to scream, " Save Me", "No, Save Me, My blooms are bigger", "But I am drought tolerant", "Don't believe him, he is tapping into the water main".

What's our choice to become? Choosing between a desert landscape of sand and cactus or plastic grass?

If that isn't isn't bad enough, we may soon be forced to take family showers in the next stage of cutbacks and it doesn't end there. It might get so bad that in order to have water to wash dishes, bathroom habits will necessarily have to change ( an unthinkable solution whose time may be coming soon). Low flow flushing may have to once again be redefined. This time with no rebates.

In the latter stage of mandatory cutbacks we may ultimately need to implement water use multitasking. While the sprinklers water what little living grass we have left, it may become necessary to fit in our daily showers using an organic fertilizer based body wash and shampoo combination. Additionally, washing dishes in the water sprinklers also with an organic fertilizer dish soap, brushing out teeth and filling the coffee pot, all on our allocated 10 minutes per station, 3 times per week lawn watering.

And failing to implement anything less than this new creative conservation of water multi taking effort , could result in fines that may exceed the typical mortgage. And if the water bills keep getting bigger and they surely will, we could also start to see Real Estate For Sale signs in our neighborhoods that read " Water Bill Foreclosure". Don't laugh, it could happen!

Posted by San Diego Real Estate Voice authored by William Johnson on 06/26/2009 04:45 PM

Comments (23)

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san diego, bank forecloures, water bill foreclosure, san diego real estate, water conservation, water rationing

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23 Comments on Water Bill Foreclosures ?

JUN

Hi William. Hope your drought water situation turns around for your area. Sounds like with the restrictions times are getting very tough.

But, but, but, Bill, look at the views. Think about the weather. Don't forget, you have government by referendum. Such a treat.

Hi Gary, When I came home from my trip, my grass has turned a mixed shade of pale green and brown, :-)

I hope it gets better soon. We went through the same thing a couple years ago and now we are getting more rain than needed. Good luck.

My goodness Lenn, I almost forgot about all the good stuff you mentioned. Having just returned from back east with the most luscious and rich shades of green, there must be some sort of trade off and you hit the nail on the head, LOL

Hi Allen, Thanks for dropping by and giving us hope. Rain Rain come today, make our grass green so we don't pay!

William, here in New Orleans, we have not cross that bridge. Our drought did receive some relief this week. Good luck and hope your greener days are in front of you.

Hi Frank, Thanks for sharing and we here in San Diego will take whatever we can get in the form of relief. We may be soon buying bottled water, take our drink and pour the rest on the grass, :-)

William...

Love the tongue in cheek thing you have happening here. Drought tolerant? Indeed :)

TLW...ROAR!

Hi TLW...Roar ! Woo Hoo, someone read the whole thing, LOL. I was sort of beginning to worry, :-). How are you? I hope doing wonderfully well. Love it when you drop by!

William, We have quite a few droughts in Florida. Every time we do the water police come out. The place we live now has well water and septic. We can do whatever we want.

Hi Bryant, If we dug deep enough to hit water here, I am afraid we would hit oil first and that would be in Texas,lol.

Wiliam - yep, the prospects of what lie ahead, on top of what we already have in place, with the increases in water bills and additional charges for exceeding reasonable levels are daunting. It will certainly get worse before it gets better given the time of year, adn even a deluge or two of rain is not going to fix the problem.

Jeff

Hi Jeff, I searched deep into my photos and since I have been with AR, it hasn't rained, Ok, I at least didn't take any pictures of rain, so I had to use one I purchased. I made it extra small sort of reflecting the small amount of rain over the last few years, :-)

Yep, things are looking grim in my yard. When I returned from my trip back East( abiding by the new restrictions in water usage) the grass looks like I spayed weed kill on it and killed off the grass. As the months wear on, it is not going to get any better and it is disgusting looking. And we are doing this so the builders can build more new homes and use more of the limited supply of water.

Pray for rain, LOL.

William,

I love when people say that it is going to be better. It is a wish. Laughing through tears? Well, if it comes to bad times, just go to Bryant Tutas.

JUN

Bill. The "green" here this year and for the past couple of years is all part of a cycle. We go in cycles of about 7 years. I've watched it for quite a few 7-8 year cycle repeats.

Your answer insprired me. Look for a short answer I'm posting this a.m.

You should have brought that waterfall (for real) back with you :)

William: we have been living in water rationing hell for years. When I first moved here, Lake mead was filled brim to brim, top of the Hoover Dam spillways. Now it is pitiful and I decline boating invitations for fear we would hit a rock that is just below the waterline or something in Lake Mead!

Wish they could build some desalinating plants near the ocean and pipe that stuff to us. The cost would be prohibitive though!

Scary visual- washingour hair under the sprinklers! I always thought that having sons, the showers wouldn't be so long, but OMG, can my 17 year old take a long shower! Ithink he falls asleep in there in the morning with the water running!

Hi Lenn, I enjoyed reading the post. It was nicely detailed and it helped me to have a much better understanding. Looks like the rain patterns everywhere change on some sort of regular basis and that springs for hope that our will also change one of these days as well. Can't wait.

Woo Hoo, I hadn't thought of that. But they limit the size of containers one brings back on the plane, LMAO. I can just imagine the questions about where did I get it, who gave me permission and why would I need such a big one, LOL

Hi Renee, If the people who run this state thought they could sell or tax it more, I am sure they will come up with a way to send it you. If they laid the pipe along the driving route in the heat, you would even have instant hot water, LOL. That's what I call renewable energy.

Hi Carol Lee, Boys and water just go together. God designed us this way so they could sell boats, LOL. Think about it. Who goes to the creek or lake and jogs mostly around water. Guys. Who started the Navy so they could play in the water, Guys. Water and Boys just go together.

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