The mailbox was full of the usual junk mail yesterday. Almost never receive anything I actually want or need. Usually goes directly in the trash or the shredder (in the case of credit card applications). But a newsletter from the city, hmm, I sometimes like to read those. They used to be little black and white photocopied things, but with our new mayor, we've stepped up to full-color, glossy. But, sadly, the writing has not improved. Still there might be news about the fall trash pickup, so I'd better look through it. Amidst all the exciting news of home beautification awards, 72-hour emergency kits, and police reminders, buried on page three one little item caught my eye: Home Backflow Devices Need To Be Tested.
Apparently I should already have known about this as the article tells us inspections are to be completed "ASAP". I think I had a backflow device installed when I had a guy work on the sprinkling system a few years ago. There are water boxes next to my front porch, and I remember him telling me something about what was in them if I were to open the lids. I never have. But now might be the time.
I went to the NSL city website to see if I could find out more about this and discovered I'm actually delinquent. The inspections were to have been completed by August 15th. If not, homeowners will receive a reminder and will have 15 days to complete the work. If still not completed, homeowners will be cited and fined. And, I noted, the city will no longer perform this work for free (they used to do it for free?).
The city was good enough to provide a list of companies and the associated rates they charge for the inspection, needed repairs, and reinspection: generally $45, $65, and $45 respectively. I'll study it further and try to find the best price. Some of them say they will charge less for up to five neighbors who have the inspection done at the same time. But the savings is small, not worth trying to get my neighbors organized. Certainly none of them have contacted me to arrange this savings.
How did I miss this? I looked up the July newsletter which was still online. No mention of it. Did it come with the water bill? Unlikely, since that is just a little postcard. Well, I guess it has to be done, and I certainly don't want to be polluting water for people downstream, so to speak, from me.
Put it on the LOTTD.
3 comments:
Sounds much like the sort of thing we have in Henllan, where our drainage system is medieval in origin I think... Certainly I seem to get more people complaining to me about "back flows", "seepages", "overflows", and all manner of other weird and wonderful things than I do about almost anything else .
Despite the fact I know not the slightest thing about any of them, I obviously impress with an air of quiet authority, as I'm now cited as "the man" for these things in the village.
Though the nearest comment I've been able to come up with any real relevance to drains was Oscar Wilde's "We are all of us in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
After which totally useless and irrelevant contribution, Becky, I'll go away and consider "multi- tasking"... But is it really for me.....
Oh, no. And just as I was thinking of procrastinating!
Don't give up on it, Becky... you might enjoy it :-)
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