High cost of hooking up

To the editor,

Three years ago we sold our home in the country and moved to town. We were thinking about retirement, needed less to care for and were able to get out of debt. We purchased a home in a lovely neighborhood with friendly neighbors, automatic sprinkler system, gorgeous perennial flowers, mature trees, fencing and landscaping.

The previous owner told us we were on a septic system but not to worry—they had a state inspector out who said we would never have a problem where we were located, and they had never even had to have it pumped out.

We checked with the city, and they agreed we would not have to hook up to city sewer unless we had a problem with it. We didn't realize that they must have had their fingers crossed. We have been notified that we are required to hook up to city sewer by the first of January 2005.

Some 50 other families in Columbia Falls had the same bombshell dropped on then. One estimate we had was $15,000, not to mention the destruction of some of the above-mentioned landscaping.

This is not just an inconvenience for the people involved. Few can afford the cost of complying with this resolution. Although we have never been on city sewer, we have been paying for it on our monthly statement for years.

I realize it's like spitting in the wind to think this letter will accomplish anything other than making me feel slightly better. The old saying "you can't fight city hall" is certainly accurate in this case. Heaven preserve us from progress that forces people into unnecessary, stressful, expensive hardship.

Connie Evans

Columbia Falls