Toilets That Flush Money! Randy's Water House

Toilets That Flush Money! Randy’s Water House

January 21, 2011

H/T to Dan Tilkin (and apologies for previously misspelling your name) of KATU who has uncovered the latest factoid about Water Commissioner Randy Leonard’s ~~$200,000~~ ~~$310,000~~ ~~$400,000~~ ~~$480,000~~ ~~$625,000~~* “Water House” that Leonard planned to sell for a profit and use as an example of the City that Works. (See our previous posts here and here) Randy:

“We may not ever sell that house,” he said.

And, of course, we all know the reason why, but Randy’s reason is pretty funny.

Leonard tells Tilken his reason why:

“If it remains as popular as it is right now, we will keep it as a demonstration project for builders and homeowners to walk through so they will incorporate the strategies that house uses to conserve water consumption.”

The Water Bureau just had an open house for the neighbors. I’m pretty sure “popular as it is” occurred on January 19th, the date of the open house. I believe “may not ever sell that house” has more to do with the fact that the city will take a loss, look dumb, and people will question the idea behind the city of Portland doing a water conservation “demonstration project” in which most items can be seen at any George Morlan plumbing store or the latest home show. Apparently this has escaped the attention of Leonard who seems never to have stopped to think that government shouldn’t be engaging in this type of civic navel gazing with taxpayers’ scarce money. Randy should be returned to the private sector so he can understand that there’s a recession going on. Apparently that’s escaped his attention, too.

From Tilkin’s piece (below):

Portlanders are paying the fifth highest utility bills in the country because of the expensive Big Pipe Sewer Project. That’s why some people are scratching their heads about the Portland Water Bureau’s decision to spend so much money on building an environmentally friendly house that actually ended up costing twice the original estimate.
Now the 2,100 square foot Water House does have interesting features. It was built with water-friendly construction (like a porous driveway that cuts down on stormwater runoff), it has variable flow toilets that flush with grey water captured from the sinks and the walls are extra thick. Also, the floors are recycled from an old basketball court and all of the appliances are energy efficient.

Wow! Variable flow toilets! Energy efficient appliances! Who knew? I think that porous driveway is pretty interesting–where does all that water go, though? Does it undermine foundations or go into the neighbor’s yard? And how about that pit in the front yard that collects water? You know what they call that down at the court house? An “attractive nuisance.” Good luck, kids!

From Zillow

But the most galling part of this whole debacle is this: they won’t be able to sell this house in this market. Randy scolds Tilkin for not thinking “six months down the road”–one of his favorite tropes when, in fact, I’m pretty sure Tilkin did. I mean, after all, take a look at the drop in the housing market (we’re fourth in the nation in dropping home prices!) and anyone would have looked at the comps in the ‘hood. I know we did. Here are the latest ones. *How are they expecting to get any one of those above prices for this thing?

And Randy is affronted that Tilkin would dare ask this question:

Why did the Portland Water Bureau spend over $400,000 to build a house at a time when its customers are struggling to pay their high water and sewer bills?

Here’s Randy’s answer:

“We could do the easy thing and ask people to conserve water but that is not going to get us where we need to be,” Leonard said. “If we don’t actually incorporate water conservation strategies into new homes and into the way people do their day-to-day living in Portland, the cost is going to be much higher.”

Here’s another one of Randy’s favorite tropes: “We could do the easy thing…” which of course connotes that he’s taken on the heroic, arduous task of taking it upon himself to ‘show the way’ to water conservation by—how dare you ask?! building a house in a down housing market, in direct competition with whatever home builders are left and putting in a bunch of stuff that was strong armed from local businesses who want to curry favor with a politician so he doesn’t kill off their businesses too.
It never occurred to him to lower our bills. Never.I base that opinion on RESULTS. From bioswales for bicyclists, Loos that nobody is replicating–San Diego may buy one–the objective is to build his empire and apparently keep milking taxpayers. Hey, what about that whole social injustice thing you guys are always talking up? What about “green” and “sustainable?” Ever notice how green and sustainable never applies to our wallets?
And now he says he may not sell the house. He should have sold the lot to begin with and never built the house.

Tell ’em where you saw it. Http://www.victoriataft.com

Toilets That Flush Money! Randy’s Water House

January 21, 2011

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