Water worries
 

We live in an aldea that is basically constructed on a cañada real, an old cattle drove/road which is about 50 - 70 metres wide, with an arroyo running along the side, and in places across it.

Last year the Andalucia dept of whatever sent round someone to plot all the wells with GPS, (with an eye to putting meters on them and charging us all, I'm sure).

So far we are the only people that I know of that have received a letter demanding proof of ownership and what we use water for, presumably because the previous owner put in an application for a change of title for the well. (That sat in their offices for 7 years, but when they wrote to us it was 'reply in 15 days OR ELSE!' ) We sent off the relevant papers, and now we have a letter back saying that as our well is within 53 metres of the arroyo, we have to send them back a hydrological and geology survey demonstrating that it is ok for us to withdraw water or we will be forbidden from using the well. (Within 2 months).

What puzzles me is that no-none else has received one, even those with wells far nearer than mine. (one neighbour's is about 15 metres away from the arroyo.) Plus, every single well in the entire aldea is within the prescribed distance from the damn arroyo. Our house is 40 years old, as is the well.

Now, has anyone else had this sort of problem, or knows anything about it?

Plus, can they cut off our water? Isn't a supply of water a human right? (There is no alternative piped supply.)

Someone has mentioned that the state owns all the underground water and can basically do as they please.

All advice and info would be gratefully received.

Re: Water worries
 

change your surname to something along the lines of,,say,,,lorenzo? methinks you would then have an outside chance of not getting cut off or having to pay some extortionate amount of money.

Re: Water worries
 

I am sorry to hear about your problem, from what I have seen and heard all water is owned by someone and not exclusively the State at all, if you havnt been paying you will in the future thats all. You need to go to Town Hall and ask their advice, even if you hate them you need to get them onside. Someone there will know exactly what is going on and why.

Re: Water worries
 

Have you asked your neighbours why you have been singled out? You could try www.defensordelpueblo.es you can complain online. It is the sort of complaints they deal with. The one below gives the contacts for andalucia.

http://www.defensor-and.es/atencion_...ion/index.html

Re: Water worries
 

Well, our other neighbour has one too now. Her daughter is the head of the resident's assoc which is excellent news. Apparantly it is different because it's a dry arroyo, and the gooberment doesn't realise it. Ones that are wet have different rules, so we may just be in luck. It won't stop them from trying to roger us all for money tho.

Re: Water worries
 

Sorry to hear of your problems, Bil. I agree with what Whitelinen said, you need to go to the town hall with a Spanish friend who knows someone there and ask what’s happening. Don’t fight them, you can’t win, you need water and one way or another you will have to pay for it.

Re: Water worries
 

Ain't that the truth? My main fear was that they were going to try and close down the well, which really would have been a problem. Charging for the water, well, that was always on the cards. In all seriousness, if they looked at a way for charging us for the air we breathe, it wouldn't surprise me that much.

Trust me, I try never to start a fight I can't finish, tho I have been known to fight a very good delaying action.

Re: Water worries
 

After reading Bil`s plight an old spanish saying came to mind, it goes along the lines of "when you go to pick potatoes you start at the edge of the field not in the middle" ie dont come charging me until youve charged everyone else before you get to my place.

Do you have enough land to drill a bore hole ? this could save you future water problems. I have one on a cortijo I own , a real valuble asset ,when water is needed you just flick a switch:thumbsup:you just pay for the electric.

Re: Water worries
 

Yes and completely illegal

Though Brits dont so anything illegal in Spain though do they? ;)

Re: Water worries
 

Bizzare how you think you know everything about Spain and even the lives of posters who youve never meet, what a tosser!

Mines 100% legal with a 100 page project showing where,why how much water etc,rubber stamped by the Junta:thumbsup: the whole show only cost 8k

Re: Water worries
 

Ok fair enough :)

Though I have to say you've made a few assumptions about me on this forum, none of them correct

Re: Water worries
 

QUOTE=cricketman;8619074]Ok fair enough :)

Though I have to say you've made a few assumptions about me on this forum, none of them correct[/QUOTE]

I dont make any assuptions about you but I do rember what youve posted , what you tell us about yourself constantly contradicts ,one week you tell us your think of going autonomo(so I guess you working illegally) the week after you tell us your a business man, I could go on for ages about houses you claim to own , your great wealth etc but its boring, thats why I called you a BSer and youve even admitted it! what more can I say:rofl:

Re: Water worries
 

The well actually is a bore hole. I don't pay for the water, just for the power to lift it, which is a pain. I could dig a second well, keep it secret etc, but to be honest, unless I am charged a fortune for the water it would not be worth the trouble.

It's like solar power to heat water. To buy is a couple of grand, and I doubt it would save me much more than 250 a year, which is quite a long payback period.

The ideal would be a wind powered water pump, and a retention tank, but the cost of doing all that is beyond me at the moment, and would take the best part of 15 years to repay, plus it would be illegal, yada yada yada.

Love the potato image btw.

Re: Water worries
 

I dont make any assuptions about you but I do rember what youve posted , what you tell us about yourself constantly contradicts ,one week you tell us your think of going autonomo(so I guess you working illegally) the week after you tell us your a business man, I could go on for ages about houses you claim to own , your great wealth etc but its boring, thats why I called you a BSer and youve even admitted it! what more can I say:rofl:[/QUOTE]

I admitted it because I do not want to describe my exact financial and business circumstances on a public forum. Not because they are illegal, but because they are complicated and I dont what to justify them to you. I also do not want someone I know or work with identifying me based on what I've written on here.

Anyway, it doesnt matter what you think at the end of the day.

Re: Water worries
 

The last one was! :rofl: