A guy I work with tests drinking water for bacteria.
He usually gets updates on things the state is considering.
He was walking around yesterday mumbling something about "f'ing government".
Seems that the state of Iowa is somewhere in the process of starting to
keep a list of who has private wells.

He seems to be pretty sure that within the next 10 years, people will be
forced to meter their well water, and pay a tax for water used.

Considering the cities we live in around here are now taxing you for
rainfall that your house sheds into the storm sewers, taxing you for
your own well water doesn't seem too far away.

Does the water under your feet belong to you, or the government?

Dave

Shhhh... Don't give Rod the Bod any ideas. Daley raised taxes on everything else, now they are gonna hit us there

So...*looks up note pad* Which one of you fine gentleman does this here *adjusts glasses* Oxygen bill go to?

The reasoning is simple - you draw from an underground source that extends beyond the borders of your property.


Much of this stems from droughts, were lot's of wells go dry.  Also, when contaimination occurs.


I don't agree with it, but the .gov is a whore for revenue

I've been hearing aobut this for a while now.

If we are still around in a 100 years what will be next air tax.

Quoted: If we are still around in a 100 25 years what will be next air tax.

Fixed it for you.  

tar & feather the first OH Pol that writes / suggests the legislation. Rinse-repeat.

It has been happening for a little while now.The EPA folks trick you into allowing them onto your property to "Check" your well,and while they are there they attach the meter.
You NEVER let them onto your property if you have a well,post your property per the legal requirements and "Never Allow Any Govt. Employee on YOUR Property".
Allowing them to test your well becomes a contract.
Besides,if you have a well,then you know that you pay someone to come out and test your well,and they do not work for the state or federal government.

I'm already paying taxes on the power that runs the pump.

The same well tax is afoot here in Oregon too.  Washington County.  

I've heard of taxing the use of solar power
People who bought solor power equipment to power their homes instead of the local utility will be charged monthly even though they personally paid for the solar panels and etc and everything else....it's like WTF. you buy your own solar panels to power your home but still get a bill everymonth for something you didn't use....fucking bloodsucking power companies just want a piece of the cake just like the government

what next: .02cent charge per cubic feet of air that we breath

They're going to have a luxury tax on penises before long.

wganz
¶

Yup already proposed it here in FL, 20 years ago. Went around putting monitors on wells "voluntarily". People were bitching about country folks getting their water for "free" while they had to pay. So far, no tax "yet". Hell I pay garbage tax and don't have garbage service, school tax and no kids, hell my property taxes are %40 of my mortgage.

So lets me get this right, At our house in town we pay around $28 a month for water and sewage.  At our house outside of town we paid $4000 for the well, drilling, pump, tank etc & $5500 for a septic system (and of course the septic needs sucked occasionally and the well needs tested), yet there we are getting it for "free."

I would be happy to disagree with that.

-Dan

Considering the cities we live in around here are now taxing you for
rainfall that your house sheds into the storm sewers, taxing you for
your own well water doesn't seem too far away.


WTF?

You don't own land in America. You rent.

Simple as that.

If you owned it, nobody could take it away from you.

Quoted: Considering the cities we live in around here are now taxing you for rainfall that your house sheds into the storm sewers, taxing you for your own well water doesn't seem too far away. WTF?

Yep.

They measure the square feet of area of your house that would shed rainfall.
Then they use a magic forumla to determine how much rain your property
is causing to run into the city's storm drains.  You are taxed on this amount
of rain, per some federal law requiring cities to be accountable for storm water.
(not sure exactly what the laws are, since I rent and don't see the tax in person)

Some people have argued saying that they collect their storm water for
irrigation and other uses, and hence should be exempt from said tax.
But, as someone else pointed out, home owners pay school tax even though
they don't have kids.  

We got 8 inches of snow last week.
City law requires sidewalks be cleared 12 hours after the snow stops.
The street is wide enough to be a 4-lane, but we park on the street.
Cars must be moved after more than 2-inches of snow, so plows
can clear the street.  Cars not moved can be ticketed and/or towed.
Sidewalks not cleared can result in the home owner being fined up to $700.

No problem, like a good sheep, I went out and cleared the walk and moved
the cars.  But 24 hours after the snow stopped, a plow came through and piled
half of the road's snow on to my sidewalk.  
Heavy, wet, slushy snow.  While I was at work.  So when I got home it was
an iceberg.  

On the news they reminded everyone about clearing the sidewalks.
Our city law allows up to a $700 fine if sidewalks are not cleared.

I said f' them.  I cleared it once.  I can't  and won't move snow that
a freak'in plow deposited on my sidewalk.  

Dave

I'll be darned.  There is something about the Storm Water "fee" in today's paper.
Last I heard about it was in spring.

Looks like the city has decided to charge residents $3.36 a month.
(Davenport, Iowa)

I realized yesterday I pay tax on shipping and handling charges.

Quoted: A guy I work with tests drinking water for bacteria. He usually gets updates on things the state is considering. He was walking around yesterday mumbling something about "f'ing government". Seems that the state of Iowa is somewhere in the process of starting to keep a list of who has private wells. He seems to be pretty sure that within the next 10 years, people will be forced to meter their well water, and pay a tax for water used. Considering the cities we live in around here are now taxing you for rainfall that your house sheds into the storm sewers, taxing you for your own well water doesn't seem too far away. Does the water under your feet belong to you, or the government? Dave

Not the land of the free anymore.
thats fucked up.

"Let me tell you how it will be There's one for you nineteen for me 'Cause I'm the taxman Yeah I'm the taxman Should five percent appear too small Be thankful I don't take it all 'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman If you drive a car, I'll tax the street If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat If you get too cold, I'll tax the heat If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet Taxman 'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman Don't ask me what I want it for Ah-ah, Mister Wilson If you don't want to pay some more Ah-ah, Mister Heath 'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman Now my advice for those who die, Taxman! Declare the pennies on your eyes, Taxman! 'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman And you're working for no one but me Taxman..."

Quoted: You don't own land in America. You rent. Simple as that. If you owned it, nobody could take it away from you.

+1

Well, if your well water is going into your septic system I understand the outrage

On the other hand, if your well water is going into a sewer system...that's different.

The utility co charges me more for sewer than it does for water...and if you have a pool, you can get a special arrangement so you don't get billed on the sewer side...

Of course, they don't meter sewers, so they need to know how much you're pulling from your well to bill properly.

Maryland already keeps very close tabs on who has a well and where they are located and they have been doing so for over 50 years.  There is a permit process for getting a well and it is becoming more heavily regulated over time.  

There are some big legal issues regarding use and taxation of groundwater.  It might not be very easy for the government to start doing it but you never know.

GunLvr

It won't be long before we have meters on ourselves,  taxing us on each breath and heartbeat.

Quoted: It has been happening for a little while now.The EPA folks trick you into allowing them onto your property to "Check" your well,and while they are there they attach the meter. You NEVER let them onto your property if you have a well,post your property per the legal requirements and "Never Allow Any Govt. Employee on YOUR Property". Allowing them to test your well becomes a contract. Besides,if you have a well,then you know that you pay someone to come out and test your well,and they do not work for the state or federal government.

+1 Big agreement.  Here in Maryland some nice farmers let U-MD ag researchers onto their farms.  Environmental groups then sued U-MD for the data collected, and sent the data to the government to go after the farmers for various watershed violations.

GunLvr