Despite the worries about growing bacteria laden fruit trees, I was fairly sure the local council was all for grey water systems. The Fremantle Council have been ringing me while I’ve been travelling, running up my roaming bill, making sure they know everything about my ‘Smart Living’ habits of saving electricity.
The first phone call lasted about 20
minutes, asking leading questions to make you feel bad. If someone says ‘Do you
switch off lights when you leave the room?’ of course you say yes. If they say
‘Do you wait until your washing basket is overflowing before doing a cycle?’,
of course you say double yes. Anyway – while I do try to do those things most
of the time – It felt like a kinda redundant conversation. They should’ve said
‘So how many times a week do you use the washing machine? (divided by) How many
people are living in your house? (multiplied by) Do you use a grey water
system?
Given their ginormous interest in my smart
living habits, I was overwhelmingly irritated and shocked at what seems to be a
positively dumb system of applying for a grey water system permit.
Number A: They really should tell you that
the system requires an application process much the same as building a house
when you actually purchase the system. Which I did, months in advance.
Number B: 230$ application fee? 3 week wait
for approval? THEN its only an approval to install? THEN an inspection,
followed by (if they are happy with all this) a permit to actually use the
system? How much more money do you want then?
At least it seems that you do get a refund
for the fees if it’s all approved, but wheres all my $$ going if they don’t?
And what are the rules about why or why not? Conditions? Hello? Any guidance
here?
Being a member of the Smart Living plan in
Fremantle – I was quite sure I was the LAST PERSON in the suburb who wasn’t
using their washing machine excess water to tend the hedge. But as it turned
out, my one hour of waiting around the town hall with my printed application
was the result of not a single person at the front desk having ever dealt with
someone actually applying for one of these.
And so, my system remains uninstalled. When
I’m back in town ill give the whole drama another go when I don’t have a flight
to catch in three hours and my patience is more elastic. Retrofitting a grey
water system? Fun times.
Do you have a permit for this?
No. No you don't.
Grey water no flow.
Soakwell (not for grey water - but I'm glad i got a picture! I will always know where it is :)
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