Paying For Water

It's apparently a Sun thing. The letters are currently going out to the annual sites here at Rock Crusher advising that the meters will be going in. At the moment, it's only long term sites that will be metered. I'm a snowbird and my four month stay will not be metered at this time. There is aalso talk of metered electric on the way, which I expect will include my site.
In talking to the folks in the office, it's apparent the park has an enormous water bill they are trying to mitigate the cost of. There have been rate increases annually since Sun bought the park, generally at 2% or less a year.

water use us a priviledge, not a right. Some day people will start to realize this and act accordingly. In the West, the value of water is more appreciated especially in a dry state like Nevada.

rockhillmanor wrote:

Nope they don't owe me a living and yes I can move on.
EXCEPT if you are camping in Florida.

I've been all over and they don't charge you an arm and a leg.

The ONLY time I saw this was crossing over the Georgia/Florida state line into Florida.

Florida DOES take advantage that it is a winter destination and over charges, and adds charges for everything, regardless of level of CG.

It's the only CG's that I have ever stayed at that also charged a bed tax on top of the state tax. Whether it is near an attraction or not.

Would it surprise you to know that we'll be staying at six different RV parks in Florida from late January to late March and the most expensive site we'll be on is $25.38/night including all taxes and fees?

I had a seasonal site at a Sun RV park and was planning on arriving the first of the year. A friend just saw the site I had and they put a mobile home on that site. Not a complaint of mine as I know they are in business to make money.

To get to the conversation here I did mention that some parks are putting water meters in. The agent at this park then confirmed that they also are putting in water meters. All Sun RV sites are doing this.

rockhillmanor wrote:

It's the only CG's that I have ever stayed at that also charged a bed tax on top of the state tax. Whether it is near an attraction or not.

There are no RV parks in Florida that are NOT near some type of attraction. RV park owners do not have any control over the taxes they are required to impose.

rockhillmanor wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
Gee, some of you sound as if the RV parks where you are staying OWE you something and are REQUIRED to get your permission....

Nope they don't owe me a living and yes I can move on.
EXCEPT if you are camping in Florida.

I've been all over and they don't charge you an arm and a leg.

The ONLY time I saw this was crossing over the Georgia/Florida state line into Florida.

Florida DOES take advantage that it is a winter destination and over charges, and adds charges for everything, regardless of level of CG.



It's the only CG's that I have ever stayed at that also charged a bed tax on top of the state tax. Whether it is near an attraction or not.

WHY DO YOU RETURN SINCE IT BOTHERS YOU SO MUCH? I would avoid FL. if I did not approve of their rules. I feel sure you will change their rules by complaining on this forum. :S

Lwiddis wrote:
Gee, some of you sound as if the RV parks where you are staying OWE you something and are REQUIRED to get your permission....

Nope they don't owe me a living and yes I can move on.
EXCEPT if you are camping in Florida.

I've been all over and they don't charge you an arm and a leg.

The ONLY time I saw this was crossing over the Georgia/Florida state line into Florida.

Florida DOES take advantage that it is a winter destination and over charges, and adds charges for everything, regardless of level of CG.

It's the only CG's that I have ever stayed at that also charged a bed tax on top of the state tax. Whether it is near an attraction or not.

mowermech wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:

want-a-be wrote:
They just got finish installing water meters so we can start paying for water!

Perhaps you should rephrase?

They just got finish installing water meters so we can start knowing we have been paying for water.

You were always paying for water.

During the same day threads pop up about paying for water and paying for electricity. IMO if you intend to ***** and moan about that, then you should go elsewhere where its buried in the overall cost and you can think you're getting it for free. It's not a surprising development however knowing what the demographic of this forum is.

Of course, that is true. But do you really think they will reduce the lot rent now that everybody (at least the long term renters) is paying for water (and/or electric)?
I wonder if they are going to have the meters (or already did) calibrated? In many states, if you are charging for something by weight or volume, the measuring instrument must be calibrated by a State approved agency.
We spent three months in a CA RV park near Oceano, where they were installing electric meters on all the long term stay lots. Then suddenly they removed all the meters, and re-installed them a month later, with a new certified calibration sticker on them. They also, so we were told, found that they could only charge what they were paying for electricity. A profit was not allowed unless they got a state license as a Utility Company.

If I was a park owner I would forego meters, set my prices as per below and make a profit on the utilities.

Base nightly rate. $15.00
Weekend/Holiday.Add. $4.00
Electric. Add. $6.50
Water. Add. $8.00
Sewer. Add. $5.50
Modern.-
(Showers and
Flush toilets
in park, charge
everyone) Add. $4.00
Extra vehicle. Add. $5.00
Pet site
(Charge even if
no pet) Add. $2.00

Total. $50.00 per night.

I would make a profit that way on the utilities.

Oooooops, that's the PA DCNR price structure for State Park Campgrounds.

mowermech wrote:
They also, so we were told, found that they could only charge what they were paying for electricity. A profit was not allowed unless they got a state license as a Utility Company.

In CA (San Diego excluded), as you mentioned, they can only charge the actual usage based on posted rates from the utility service. But, they can also (currently) charge you $2 for a water meter, $3 for the electric meter, and $4 for gas meter as well as a "reasonable" admin cost to read and invoice from that meter.

I belive they can still RUBS for common area usage providing that usage is dedicated only for those who are on meters. So they can't have a long term metered area and a short term non metered area where they try charging all common areas to the meter units alone. The meter units only pay for common area utilities dedicated to their use only.

Ralph Cramden wrote:

want-a-be wrote:
They just got finish installing water meters so we can start paying for water!

Perhaps you should rephrase?

They just got finish installing water meters so we can start knowing we have been paying for water.

You were always paying for water.

During the same day threads pop up about paying for water and paying for electricity. IMO if you intend to ***** and moan about that, then you should go elsewhere where its buried in the overall cost and you can think you're getting it for free. It's not a surprising development however knowing what the demographic of this forum is.

Of course, that is true. But do you really think they will reduce the lot rent now that everybody (at least the long term renters) is paying for water (and/or electric)?
I wonder if they are going to have the meters (or already did) calibrated? In many states, if you are charging for something by weight or volume, the measuring instrument must be calibrated by a State approved agency.
We spent three months in a CA RV park near Oceano, where they were installing electric meters on all the long term stay lots. Then suddenly they removed all the meters, and re-installed them a month later, with a new certified calibration sticker on them. They also, so we were told, found that they could only charge what they were paying for electricity. A profit was not allowed unless they got a state license as a Utility Company.