It's been a while since I had a water drama but do not think, dear reader, that the problem is solved! [For newer readers, in this part of town water deliveries are made by lorry and for blocks of flats, it is pumped into a cistern so that all in the building may use the supply. Usually the town council sends the deliveries but every now and then the system breaks down and we have to pay for a private delivery.]
The supply in the condominio ran out at about 4pm yesterday and, like the naive fool I still am, I sat here hourly expecting the other tenants to find the situation as annoying and inconvenient as I did. Admittedly, some of them spend Sundays at their houses in the country or with relatives but surely they would be annoyed when they returned? And surely those who were here would get at least a little annoyed as we approached evening? But no one was heard to swear as they tried to flush a loo or turn a tap on and no one bothered to call anyone else.
Well, I reasoned as I went to bed, they would certainly be fed-up by morning. But still no one so much as mentioned the situation, let alone did anything about it! As I left for work at about 1.15 pm I convinced myself that someone would have phoned the Water Office by the time I got home, but no.... Can I be the only person in the building who minds not having running water?
Yes, I've got a few containers filled with water on the balcony, but apart from the fact that I can't lift one of them, they run out very quickly. I tell you on good authority that it takes 5 litres to flush a loo, at least 3 to do the washing -up [ for one person] and a further 6 to wash a floor to Italian standards!
When I got back at 6 I saw that the capo-condominio had called during the afternoon so I returned the call: "I'm not paying again", said she, "and neither should you. We always pay and the others get away with it. Sono stufata [fed-up]!". All that she says is true but she cannot be quite as stufata as I am because I'd decided I could not manage another night without water.
As I'd taught a private student before calling her it was gone 8pm by this time. So I summoned all my courage and called our normal water lorry driver, a somewhat gruff but kind-hearted fellow and, although he was just going off duty, he agreed to make an immediate private delivery. True to his word, he was at the gate before Simi and I could get downstairs to meet him and, once he'd had a little grumble and I'd done my "Sorry, sorry, thank you, thank you"[ with pretty smile] bit he became quite amiable.
So once again I am 35 euros poorer, once again I will waste my breath trying to get my co-tenants to contribute [I was angry when I heard them all using the water later] but once again, reader, habemus aquam!
The supply in the condominio ran out at about 4pm yesterday and, like the naive fool I still am, I sat here hourly expecting the other tenants to find the situation as annoying and inconvenient as I did. Admittedly, some of them spend Sundays at their houses in the country or with relatives but surely they would be annoyed when they returned? And surely those who were here would get at least a little annoyed as we approached evening? But no one was heard to swear as they tried to flush a loo or turn a tap on and no one bothered to call anyone else.
Well, I reasoned as I went to bed, they would certainly be fed-up by morning. But still no one so much as mentioned the situation, let alone did anything about it! As I left for work at about 1.15 pm I convinced myself that someone would have phoned the Water Office by the time I got home, but no.... Can I be the only person in the building who minds not having running water?
Yes, I've got a few containers filled with water on the balcony, but apart from the fact that I can't lift one of them, they run out very quickly. I tell you on good authority that it takes 5 litres to flush a loo, at least 3 to do the washing -up [ for one person] and a further 6 to wash a floor to Italian standards!
When I got back at 6 I saw that the capo-condominio had called during the afternoon so I returned the call: "I'm not paying again", said she, "and neither should you. We always pay and the others get away with it. Sono stufata [fed-up]!". All that she says is true but she cannot be quite as stufata as I am because I'd decided I could not manage another night without water.
As I'd taught a private student before calling her it was gone 8pm by this time. So I summoned all my courage and called our normal water lorry driver, a somewhat gruff but kind-hearted fellow and, although he was just going off duty, he agreed to make an immediate private delivery. True to his word, he was at the gate before Simi and I could get downstairs to meet him and, once he'd had a little grumble and I'd done my "Sorry, sorry, thank you, thank you"[ with pretty smile] bit he became quite amiable.
So once again I am 35 euros poorer, once again I will waste my breath trying to get my co-tenants to contribute [I was angry when I heard them all using the water later] but once again, reader, habemus aquam!
13 comments:
Wait until our fellow residents in South Australia start to go down this path. We have a years supply here in South Australia. It had better rain soon.
So Aqua Karma to you Welshcakes.
I know it must drive you utterly mad but, oh, what a good story it makes!
This is not good, WL - can't you get a refund from your landlord? Running water must be on the contract?
Welshcakes! I'm sorry to say that the other tenants have learned who will get the problem fixed, and who will pay when no one else wants to. I don't see how there can be any reasonable solution to this, it's a checkmate! The nerve of those other tenants to take advantage of you like that.
I sat here hourly expecting the other tenants to find the situation as annoying and inconvenient as I did.
And they didn't, of course.
Goodness - I have read about your water problems in past posts - I couldn't have stood it much longer either!
Hi, CC. Gosh, I didn't know it was as desperate as that over there! Ciao, Sally. That is true! Hi, WW. It's not the landlord's fault, you see - it's the system. Some people have suggested trying to get a water rate refund but it would probably take about 50 years! Hi, Rowena. I fear you are absolutely right! Hi, James. As you know, they don't and in this case, didn't again! Thanks, Michelle. That makes me feel my reactions to the situation are normal!
How awful! I am sorry you had to pay out of your pocket, and those terrible neighbors for not contributing!
Are you absolutely sure there's no clause about it in your tenancy contract?
Hi, WW. Well, yes, it does say there is running water, but it's not the landlord's fault!
Thank goodness. This is definitely one of the downsides of living where you do.
But if it states there is running water, you should be able to pass on your extra costs to the landlord. It is his legal duty to comply with the contract. It must be worth writing to him about it at the very least?
Hi, WW. I appreciate your concern. The landlord knows how it is because there's a water problem in the entire district. I can't risk antagonising him.
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