Yup.

Federal Way can legally tax water....

https://www.federalwaymirror.com/news/c ... x-dispute/

Taxing utilities is nothing new. Sucks, but this isn't some straw breaking the back here.

How the hell did federal way beat Seattle to this?! I don't believe it.

You can't catch rainwater without a permit.....
You can't have no water at your house because they consider it uninhabitable...(Even if you have your own storage system)

So, you're not only forced to live 'on grid', but you MUST now pay taxes on that water that they force you to buy.

soooo glad we weren't annexed into Federal Way.....

With this state as blue as a teen boys testicles I’m surprised they didn’t think of this sooner. Democrats never met a tax they didn’t like.

#1 False - https://ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines ... collection
#2 Also False - I have designed and permitted a legal, code compliant house that was 100% self supporting. Some cities may have health requirements, but a majority don't.
#3 - Since #1 and #2 are categorically false, #3 is usually false as well.

Yes, there are exceptions and over reaching cities and municipalities, but that is old news. The fact is, you CAN live how you want, but you may not be able to do it in an area where the way you want to live will effect the property values of those next to you.

*Ahem*


*Local laws may vary, void where prohibited, unwrap before consuming, coffee may be hot....


https://thehomestead.guru/off-grid-home-condemned/




https://offgridsurvival.com/evicted-for ... -the-grid/


http://www.michiganradio.org/post/livin ... be-illegal





First couple matches....



So, yeah..... Maybe not in Federal Way.... But I'd be interested to see anything 'approved' or not threatened with code enforcement for cutting off water.

As a matter of fact, I do know that quite a few counties/cities consider a house 'not fit for use' or similar wording, if not hooked to power/water....

Again, a 30 second search, not all inclusive....

I'm trying to think how many times I've posted this in the past 7+ years. Collect till your heart's content. But if 1639 passes this may change.
Full-Semi Automatic Water has got to be deadly?
Large capacity wells?

I think they got the gist of our sentiments the last time we met when I asked the council why I should have increased property taxes for the priviliedge of having Fedeal Way cops harassing us. Unincorporated is how I roll. Every couple of years they call to annex us and I have to once again hand out the pitch forks and torches to my neighbors to march on city hall so they take the hint that we don’t want to be in their stinkin town. Their is a sayin that goes “there’s the right way, the wrong way, and the Federal Way.

I'm rural & hate big cities (Pugetropilis equivalents).
I do feel for those stuck in the grind but we all have the choice of where we live.

I used to feel like this but growing up in Burien was pretty damn nice. Now... not so much.
There are lots of places that were once great but have gone to shit. Costs too much to move or if you can, you still might have to move further out because of things like Sound Transit or the King Co. Clowncil.

I dunno about where you live but out here in good ol unincorporated Peirce County you need power and water and septic to be a permanent residence.

The only way we could get rid of the tweeker/squater trailer court across the street was through the Health Dept since they didn't have water and septic.

At my old place 15 years ago we had tweeker neighbors that got their place condemned once the power got shut off.

I have sawn lumber for a couple places on the lakes out here that didn't have enough lot for a septic and used "composting" toilets. But good luck getting a 3bdrm perm residence approved with a sawdust shit burner.

Our county is NOT off grid friendly.

How about some details? Location? Size? Residence?

What where the major challenges and how did you overcome them?

Pierce County / Carbonado area.
1,100 SF SIP home. 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath. Open floor plan with both beds up in a loft with a jack-n-jill restroom.
Heating was low volt geothermal HP as primary with a pellet stove as secondary. Water lines were used throughout home as radiant heating.
Propane tank as well for cooking.
Sewer was treated with a normal gravity septic system
Power was solar, battery bank system in outbuilding. Rumor has it, he has since upgraded the solar and gone to a tesla power wall.
Water was designed for a large (500gallon) cistern with a 100gal bladder system. Water collection was roof (off of house and 3 out buildings).
Property size was large, 20-30 acres if I recall.

The key is that the property cannot be easily served by local utilities. When municipalities spend hundreds of millions to service an area with utilities, they will force you to connect. You'll never be able to disconnect from an area that has existing public services.