Sunday, March 1, 2009

Cracking down on water thieves

NYC Going After Water Freeloaders

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York City is going after water freeloaders.

The city's Department of Environmental Protection says it is trying to identify property owners who use water without paying. They want to soak them with additional fees and penalties.

DEP Acting Commissioner Steve Lawitts told the Water Board on Friday that current fines don't give property owners an incentive to pay.

They currently face a $50 fine if they refuse to let a water inspector on their premises.

The city's DEP says it will reveal new proposed penalties on April 3.

The agency is trying to get tough as it plans a projected 14 percent rate hike for its 832,000 customers.


Note to DEP:

Go to any development site in the city and you'll likely find an illegally opened fire hydrant with a hose hooked up to it and leading behind the construction fence.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My landlord can teach them how to steal water for a small fee. The hydrant gag is the least of it. He also hired a plumber as a consultant to find out how to roll meters backward. I guess the city doesn't audit the previous months bill to account for negative usage. Maybe he could apply to be paid for the water he generously donated to the city.