Overzealous City Water Works Employee

[Red Baron]

The city hired a new water works employee and he's been snooping around suggesting that I have some issues that need to be corrected. He said a neighbor was concerned that large debris can enter my pits, then the city sewer line. I doubt a neighbor said anything. The city has roots in its sewer line and thus has frequent problems with it draining -- I think I may be their scapegoat.

Btw, my pits do a good jobb -- they have a vertical PVC T's so that it's very unlikely for any floating debris to enter the pipe, and we have an additional "grit trap" pit that all other pits drain to before entering the city sewer line.

Secondly, he asked why "green tire cleaner" is running into the dirt at the edge of my parking lot. I explained that it's not tire cleaner, it's Warsaw 557 tri-color conditioner that sometimes runs off when the wind is out of the south and we're busy. The vast majority of automatic bays in Texas have this same issue because the wind blows so hard that even if your bay was 50' long, some would blow out.

Should I be concerned about this guy?

 

[BayWatch]

Government employee. Yes, you should be terrified. The water and electic companies should be your best friends even if they dont want to be. How many cars can you wash if they shut your water off? Is he just an employee or the manager. Take the guy to lunch (call it a meeting) and discuss his concerns and explain your system. If it is a new location then it should be up to standard and if not what could be done. With these guys it should be give and take. If he is overstepping his bounds and has no responsibility investigating your wash, call his supervisor and report it as harrassment. Or you could let him drive your motor home and that should just about take care of him. Just joking.

 

[Red Baron]

I'm not sure he's not shaking me down. He's new in town and hit me up for a job looking after the wash in his off-hours.

 

[rph9168]

If you are operating within the ordinances you should not really have any real worries. He can only enforce what the ordinances dictate. He could be a real pain but unless you are in violation of something he can't do any more than be a nuisance.

In any event I think you need to be careful how you handle this. You need to find out exactly what this guys responsibility is here. You might try contacting his department or finding some type of municipal directory. It should be public knowledge as to what his position is. If he has the authority to give you trouble it would be best to seek his advice and counsel in the best way possible. or He may be exceeding his authority just as a "power trip".

If he is trying to get a part time job and has any authority in this situation it could be a way out for you if you have some sort of proof. It certainly would be a conflict of interest if he did that. That would give you some leverage to get him off your back or even get him fired or transferred.

In any event I would proceed with caution. If he has any authority here he could be bad news if you rub him the wrong way. Whatever you do I would think it through carefully and have a Plan B.

 

[Kevin Reilly]

Red Baron,
When you hire him make sure you give him the keys to the change machine!!??

I can't believe a guy with that much so called "power" would be asking you for a part time job!

It would be worth following rph's advice.

 

[Red Baron]

I wouldn't hire the guy. 1) I don't need him. 2) A guy like that would always want more.

He said he worked for a guy who owns a car wash near Dallas, and of course that makes him an authority. I get the impression he's just a blowhard but he can probably draw unhelpful attention to my wash. My wash isn't doing anything wrong but if you look hard enough you can find things to complain about at any location.

 

[Waxman]

In my little town, water and sewer are 2 separate departments. The sewer told me that they were bug farmers and as long as my car wash soapy water didn't adversely affect their sewer bugs, I was fine.

As far as the soap/colored foam in your lot, that, I think, is different. In Massachusetts, the D.E.P. is in charge of enforcing the Federal Clean Waters Act, which seems like it applies to what you're talking about.

Read the laws that apply to you and be well-versed in them should any local issues arise. I don't think you need to quote laws to local sewer workers, but to be armed with the knowledge is smart if you are ever asked to attend a town meeting on these issues.

 

[Joe]

Check this guy out

The city hired a new water works employee and he's been snooping around suggesting that I have some issues that need to be corrected. He said a neighbor was concerned that large debris can enter my pits, then the city sewer line. I doubt a neighbor said anything. The city has roots in its sewer line and thus has frequent problems with it draining -- I think I may be their scapegoat.
~~~~

He said he worked for a guy who owns a car wash near Dallas, and of course that makes him an authority. I get the impression he's just a blowhard but he can probably draw unhelpful attention to my wash.

You may find that he will draw unhelpful attention to your wash whither he is an attendant or not. If you have any way of getting his full name, and where he came from, you may find he has a history of shaking people down.

I would be very wary of him.

 

[pitzerwm]

Anything new on this guy? If he has/is coming back I'd think about setting him up with a recorder getting him the shake you down or say something really stupid, then take it to the city attorney or major. Find off if you can record someone in your state without them being told. We had a guy here record the union boss threating him and even though the union guy got busted, they tried to bust him for recording the conversation. In the end it went away.