Somerville Community Baptist watering

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

ok, here's one for your morning snark, but maybe someone can help.

Does anyone reading this go to or work at the Somerville Community Baptist Church on College ave? They seem to water the lawn, and the sidewalk, all the time, even in the pouring rain. Not only is it a kind of appalling waste of water, but I get tired of dodging the spray every time I walk by. Overwatering is also bad for the plants there and I'm surprised they don't have more mold and moss.

Anyway, if any of you have any connection there, can you please ask them to cut it out? They'd save a bunch of money, too.

Comments

[ruxxell.livejournal.com]

people find the dumbest shit to complain about on this community.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

No, this is a fairly valid complaint. The amount of potable water on the planet is comparatively small, and thus the infrastructure used to maintain it as such is both important and expensive. Water conservation makes economic as well as environmental sense, and this is a decent example of someone pointing out a wasteful misuse of water.

Snark is fun, but come on - someone watering their lawn in a rainstorm is a better target for it than someone pointing it out.

[wildflowersoul.livejournal.com]

It would be a valid complaint if the OP had tried actually communicating with church staff themselves before crying to the internet to help them. It's called a telephone, and it's not hard to use.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

You see crying to the internet for help. I see someone making use of a community to see if anyone in it knows the relevant people to speak with.

[prog.livejournal.com]

Wow, dude. I think you misspelled "FIRST PSOT".

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

:)

[ron_newman]

That was not necessary.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

It's a perfectly valid complaint. I don't like having to chose between getting my business clothes sprayed or walking in the street when I have to go past there every morning. They could find a way to water their lawn without watering the sidewalk and everyone who uses it.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

It is a Baptist church after all.

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

Yow! not only am I getting wet, but I'm getting religion, too! Maybe I'll walk on the other side of the street! :)

[cemeterygates.livejournal.com]

bwahahaha win

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Heh. Baptists don't sprinkle, they dunk.

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

I see a potential market here:

MOTION ACTIVATED TOTAL-IMMERSION SIDEWALK SPRINKLERS

Is your church saving as many souls as it could? Not without a Baptism Ambush™ brand sprinkler system you're not! Contact one of our evangelist/sales representatives today, and find out if Baptism Ambush is right for your lawn.

[ron_newman]

I agree with you, but have you tried phoning the church? Even if nobody's there, they probably have voice mail or an answering machine.

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

hasn't helped yet. I was hoping a personal connection would get through.

[ron_newman]

The next thing I'd try is leaving a (nicely written) note in their mail slot. Since the Quabbin system doesn't generally have shortages, I'd concentrate on the "wet clothes" angle.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

That's a good point, Ron - thanks. I was unnecessarily on my soap box.

Water bills do tend to be somewhat expensive, though. The original poster might consider presenting their request in terms of saving the church some money, rather than the OP asking for a favor for his or her own advantage. Same effect, after all!

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Up until very recently, churches didn't have to pay Somerville for their water. There were lots of folks crying about "all the good the churches do" that should allow them to sponge (sorry) off of the rest of us for water.

[lizzielizzie.livejournal.com]

Maybe they use well water? Do they have a sign that says so?

It would be worth calling them to tell them that their sprinklers need adjusting so they aren't watering the sidewalks.

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

I've left a message. Hasn't helped.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

A lot of people use times for their sprinkler systems and thus they go on even in the rain. Not saying thats what they do...just giving one reason why that might be happening.

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Also, if you always walk by at the same time of the day, that could explain why it looks like they are always watering the lawn. They might not be actually over-watering, just always watering when you walk by...

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

well, sometimes it's in the morning and sometimes in the evening, and sometimes when I happen to walk by at midday, so maybe I'm just really lucky, but in any case, established lawns around here only need to be watered a couple times a week, not a couple times a day.

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

It could also be a conspiracy to get you soaked...

just sayin. Never rule out the evil conspiracy theory. It's what "They" want you to do!

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

lots of sprinkler systems have rain sensors to keep them off during the rain. Not sure how expensive they are though.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

My older one didnt, my moms doesnt either. That sounds neat, Im going to look around online for one.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

This has been going on for years.

They apparently use a timer for their sprinkler system, and the timer doesn't know when it is raining.

They water quite a bit, but not constantly throughout the day. However, as other's have mentioned, if you walk past at the same time of day each day, it gives the impression that they are always watering their lawn.

You said you mentioned calling. Have you stopped by to ask them in person? They will probably respond more favorably if you ask them to their face.

Be prepared, the counterargument here (and I'm not playing Devil's advocate) is that since Somerville water comes from a reservoir and we are not in a drought, they aren't really wasting that much.

Stop by in person and let us know what they say.

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

Well, waste is relative, and I don't care so much because they pay for expensive MWRA water, but I do get tired of getting wet on cold mornings, and I don't like to see people throwing good treated water down the drain.

I have never tried the door -- clearly 6:30 am isn't going to work, but maybe someone is there after 5?

[jspazzer.livejournal.com]

Clearly you know nothing about Baptists. That is Holy Water, and you are now baptized.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Hell, you know nothing about Baptists. Baptists DUNK, not sprinkle. :P

/former Baptist

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Send a letter to the pastor. His name is the Reverend Victor Scalise.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

Wasn't there just a semi-big stink raised by churches who were pissed they were now being asked to pay their own water bills?

[curiositykt.livejournal.com]

I actually enjoyed that part of my commute best. it was fun getting slightly wet walking by. particularly on hot mornings.

[whodameg.livejournal.com]

Maybe you could call 311 and see if there is anything they could do...