Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Water costs or water conservation

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On Nov 8, 2025, at 10:41 PM, DEL HOLLAND via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] 
cohousing.org> wrote:

> we found that most were using less water that the default minimum because of 
> both all out low flow fixtures and our habits, but were paying for that level 
> of water usage.  So, in our next buildings, 4 and 5 plexes, we put in only 
> one water meter (the City wasn’t happy about this, but didn’t stop us) and 
> then told the owners to work out among them selves how they would split and 
> get the bill paid.  This has worked out just fine and saved those later 
> members money each month,

Takoma Village did the same thing in 2000. The only utility metered by unit is 
electricity. Gas and water are both paid out of the operating budget. Internet 
and wifi services are also part of the operating budget. A very few people have 
additional internet service because they want more control over speed, 
reliability, etc. (Gamers really are not willing to wait until tomorrow if the 
service is down.) 

Electricity includes lighting, heating, and cooling but the loops for the 
ground source HVAC are an operating or reserve cost. The HVAC furnace itself is 
an owner’s responsibility.

It is a great relief to have the simplification of things available to everyone 
equally. I remember a visit to a community where the internet was not 
considered a common expense or ammenity. That meant there was no internet in 
the common areas, including the guest rooms. People were also unwilling to 
share passwords to their own services. I found someone but it wasn’t a 
comfortable process. 

In an interview with an Amish elder, he said when we make a decision, we ask 
“Which option brings us closer together?”

As long as needs and uses are reasonably equal, the conflicts around nickel and 
diming are not worth the tension or the time. The ease is worth its weight in 
gold.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Riderwood Village, Silver Spring MD
Graduating from 25 years in Takoma Village, Washington DC