Water Police (San Antonio, Austin, San Angelo: apartment, neighborhood, construction)

[Neshomamench]

Originally Posted by WilGar

You cannot be serious. A warrant for someone alleged to have watered on the wrong day. The neighbor was not overwatering just the wrong day.

Moderator cut: Off-Topic Perhaps we have too many police or too many unwilling to tackle our real problems.

BTW, any study of the aquifer would show that we are NOT running out of water, but now with higher aquifer level triggering water restrictions, a new source of revenue for the city.

No, your assertion is false. There was no warrant for someone "alledged to have watered on the wrong day"

There was a warrant for someone who did not show up to court (to answer to charges)

They are not the same thing. If the courts dont have teeth, they are meaningless. You dont want to live in a society where courts are meaningless.

I am not an expert on water issues so I am not going to comment on water issues.

[SsnTktHldr]

Reluctantly I have to agree. If you are summoned to court, you have to go. I would contend that a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt, personal safety aside, is about as serious as a water violation. But if you have a time and date for court, and don't show, you are subject to an arrest warrant.

In the immortal words of Hunter S. Thompson, "Buy the ticket, take the ride"

[SAAggiemom]

If you only knew . . . . A neighbor filed 4 police reports & 2 complaints to Animal Care Services plus the watering complaint . . . . All in the past 17 days!!!! And all against me.
This has been going on for 21 months now. The fun never stops.

Allegedly for barking dogs. I have 2 INDOOR dogs that are probably outside a TOTAL of 20 minutes PER DAY during any given 24 HOUR period. (My other 5 neighbors have signed statements that they never hear my dogs bark)

As far as the watering . . . My system ran longer than 10:00 PM on my scheduled day and that is now corrected.
I win the "Worst Neighbor" award.

[jsrm]

We just moved here. The very first day we moved in my neighbor told me that there are water restrictions which I said I know about and will be following. My neighbor told me that there are police that patrol looking for people violating the water restrictions and that I better watch out. Is there really water patrol police?

[Paka]

Originally Posted by Neshomamench

How would you handle people who violate the law and then do not show up to court when they are told to do so?

If you dont agree with the law, how would you deal with people who are wasting water when we only have so much? This is water we are talking about, it is one of our most important resources and we all have to share it.

I can promise you that telling most people to "stop" or "not to do that anymore" does not work.

Moderator cut: see comment AGAIN...with an auto sprinkler system it only waters on the days SET....and hers was CORRECT!!! Fair enough for violators...of which she is NOT!

[Paka]

Originally Posted by WilGar

You cannot be serious. A warrant for someone alleged to have watered on the wrong day. The neighbor was not overwatering just the wrong day.

Moderator cut: Off-Topic Perhaps we have too many police or too many unwilling to tackle our real problems.

BTW, any study of the aquifer would show that we are NOT running out of water, but now with higher aquifer level triggering water restrictions, a new source of revenue for the city.

EXACTLY FOR THE LAST PARAGRAPH!!! It is the "endangered" blind darter, or some such who-the-hell-cares-insect that is the reason that we in SA have H20 rationing in to "protect". Besides, if it is SOOOOOOO scares, why can you still "hand water ANY time/day of the week"????? How does THAT affect this fish/"darter"???!?! Does it NOT die if you are holding the HOSE in your HAND vs a sprinkler???!?!?!?

Do I think this is a scam...sure do. We live in a GATED community OUTSIDE the city limits, but in Bexar county.

I would NOT be defending my neighbor IF she did not have an automated system to ensure certain days/times. She realized that she FORGOT the court date/time and IMMEDIATELY WENT THERE!!! Posted bail, will appear in court, rescheduled...for God sake... Moderator cut: Off-Topic

[Neshomamench]

Originally Posted by Paka

Moderator cut: see comment AGAIN...with an auto sprinkler system it only waters on the days SET....and hers was CORRECT!!! Fair enough for violators...of which she is NOT!

That is fine, but the court doesnt know that.

[optichris]

There's another thread dealing with this same issue from a few months to a year ago.

I had the same issues, and arguments to the OP here. I was "notified" last summer that SAPD had noticed I was watering on the wrong day.

In a nutshell, what will happen (at least, what happened to me) - I received the notice last summer, and didn't hear anything back until receiving a court summons in January of this year for a Feb "court date." You'll need to go before a judge when you go down there. When you get your court summons, you go down there (go early to avoid the crowds), and choose to fight or pay it. In my case, I just paid it. The judge essentially just asked me "are you going to pay this all today, or go on a payment plan?" I said "pay today", and asked what the "probation" was (don't get caught watering on your off days or the next fine will be higher for the next 5 months) and I paid, and was out of there.

The rationale behind it is, you'll be less likely to just "pay the fine and keep on watering on your off days" if you have to go before a judge. My complaints about this are echoed here - I'm all for saving water, but do we REALLY have to devote SAPD resources to patrolling for water violators? At least probation was related to water violations only. You know how a life of a criminal starts... one day you're watering your yard on the wrong day, the next you're dealing drugs, etc.

[SAAggiemom]

Optichris, thanks for the info. May I ask how much you had to pay.
I agree. Such a waste of resources.

[TexasRedneck]

IIRC, the SAPD officers are actually off-duty officers contracted by SAWS. Doesn't make the fine or ticket any less, but just to keep things straight.