Water is one of the natural resources without which life is impossible. And therefore, cold water supply is a prerequisite for a comfortable life in an apartment or house.
Water is supplied cold and hot. But some apartments use water heating using gas water heaters, boilers, and other equipment.
The supply of cold water ensures the maintenance of cleanliness in the house, personal hygiene, and the ability to prepare food. Water supply is provided by certain organizations, the city water utility. If the cold water is turned off, the residents of the house experience a lot of inconvenience.
First of all, they try to find out why the cold water was turned off when the problem is resolved. The reason for the shutdown may be an accident on the line, scheduled repairs of water utility equipment, or debt on utility bills from the consumer.
IMPORTANT! In order to find out the reason for the shutdown, you must first call your management company. Her phone number is always indicated on the payment document. If you are not given an answer there, you can call the dispatch service of your city hall.
Poor quality cold water supply can manifest itself not only by a complete shutdown of water. This is also a supply in limited quantities, under low pressure.
Reasons for turning off cold water
There are several reasons why water utilities shut off water.
The most common are debt to pay utility bills, scheduled work, which must be announced as a shutdown, and accidents on the water supply line.
The last reason does not depend on water utility specialists; it is often associated with natural or man-made disasters. And this happens without warning.
- Both parties to the water supply agreement have rights and obligations. The supplier provides a constant supply of good quality water under high pressure. The consumer is obliged to pay for services on time in accordance with established tariffs. If there is no water in an apartment and there are large debts for utilities, you need to contact the water utility in order to find out the exact amount of the debt. You can also find out when the water supply will be turned on after the debt is paid off.
- During scheduled repairs, there may also be a lack of water. It is the duty of housing office and water utility workers to notify residents in writing of a planned shutdown. It is necessary to indicate the start date of work, its duration, and start time. A written notice will warn you to close the taps tightly and not leave them open to avoid flooding in the apartment. There is an acceptable duration of water supply interruption, which must be adhered to by repair teams and responsible suppliers. Water is often supplied during repairs so that people experience less inconvenience. Emergency drinking water must be of good quality and safe.
- Accidents are unplanned force majeure circumstances. If the water in the apartment is turned off without warning, you should call the emergency dispatch service. The dispatcher will report on the location of the accident, the progress of repair work, and the timing of the restoration of the hot water supply.
ATTENTION! The law reliably protects consumers. Even if a debt exists, the water cannot be turned off. This may create inconvenience to other residents of apartments in an apartment building.
Only disconnecting the hot water supply is allowed and only after non-payment of utilities for a period of at least 3 months. Why are debtors blocked from accessing the water supply? Many water utility services are private, and local governments have no right to interfere in their activities. Debtors must be prepared for the fact that they may not receive a second warning about the debt; the water supply in the apartment will be shut off after the first.
Good to know! There are extenuating circumstances for debtors, for example, dismissal from work, which may delay the shutdown of the water supply.
How to write a claim or complaint against a management company?
A claim against the actions of the service provider is drawn up addressed to the head of the organization in two copies. One, signed by an authorized employee of the management company, remains with the client, the second is transferred to the housing and communal services authority.
The complaint must include:
- The name of the legal entity and the name of the director (to whom the appeal is sent).
- Substantiation of the claim . The payer expresses why he is dissatisfied with the activities of the housing and communal services body, and gives arguments, referring to the legislation of the Russian Federation. It is recommended to attach certificates (payment receipts, for example) confirming the illegal actions of utility workers.
- Owner's demands : restoration of access to water supply, compensation for damage, recalculation.
- Date and signature of the applicant.
If the management company refuses the payer’s demands, a copy of the application is sent to Rospotrebnadzor or the prosecutor’s office, with the supplier’s decision attached.
When is it illegal to shut off water supplies?
The consumer may face several cases of illegal water shutoff. It is important to know the shutdown standards and what to do if it is carried out in violation of the law.
- The Supplier is not entitled to carry out scheduled repairs without warning. Residents must be notified by means of an announcement on a special board near the house. The announcement will allow the population to stock up on water for cooking, cleaning, and hygiene procedures.
- You cannot cut off water for non-existent debts. The accusation must be justified, and the consumer must be notified of the accumulated debt and the deadline for its payment.
- The water supply cannot be stopped or its pressure in the water supply pipes reduced without significant reasons. If problems arise in the operation of the pipeline, the consumer has the right to know all the circumstances.
- There are certain regulations for carrying out repair work. After their completion, water supply must be restored as soon as possible. If there is no water for a long time after repairs, where can I complain? The responsible person is the management company; it has no right to delay the supply after the system is restored.
The described cases do not comply with the provisions of the law, therefore, if there is no cold water supply for the specified reasons, you should contact the authority responsible for the provision of services. This could be a water utility, a management company, or a homeowners' association. This statement identifies the problem and requests that it be resolved.
IMPORTANT! You need to know how much time is given for consideration of the application. The complaint must be reviewed within a month.
If actions are not taken within this time, the next step is to contact the regulatory authorities. Be sure to attach to such an application a copy of the previous application to the HOA, CC.
Who is responsible for poor quality services?
Before talking about the responsibility of officials, it is worth figuring out whether the water could have been turned off legally (perhaps there was an announcement, but you just didn’t notice it) and for how long.
If, after considering the application, it is determined that the water was turned off illegally or the period of non-provision of services has been exceeded, then you will have to answer:
- Management company servicing apartment buildings. It is she who is responsible for organizing public services for the high-rise building. If the company refers to debt, then such “evasion” is illegal. The procedure for providing communal services prohibits disconnecting a client who has fulfilled his obligations from the water supply. That is, if two or three apartments do not pay, you cannot turn off the water to the entire high-rise building;
- If the residents of an apartment building have created a cooperative or an Owners Association, then the governing bodies are responsible for water supply. Utility companies refer to the debt of the HOA as the subscriber with whom the agreement has been drawn up. However, the Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated 03/07/2007 interprets the HOA as an intermediary, and not an end user. Therefore, the above-mentioned Procedure applies, according to which bona fide clients cannot be disconnected from services;
- When signing an agreement with a service company directly (Article 164 of the Housing Code), the culprit will be the company with which the agreement was signed.
So, what to do if hot water is turned off illegally:
- File a complaint;
- Make a recalculation for unused service;
- Demand that the culprit pay a fine (penalty) and compensation for losses incurred as a result of providing poor-quality service.
In addition, an administrative penalty may be imposed on the culprit under Article 7.23 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Russia.
Water supply rules
Cold water suppliers must comply with special regulations governing the provision of the service.
According to the Government Decree, dated 05/06/11, number 254, cold water must be supplied uninterruptedly. Suppliers have the right to turn it off for repair work and in case of an emergency.
The scope of breaks in cold water supply is by law no more than 8 hours per month. If the water is turned off to repair equipment or eliminate an accident, it should be turned on no more than after 4 hours.
The regulation determines not only the complete shutdown of the water supply, but also the reduction of pressure in the water supply pipes. The maximum permissible reduction rate is 30%. Other indicators are allowed only in cases of repair work.
Consumers who know how long cold water can be turned off by law immediately react to the delay and contact the management company or homeowners association.
Normative base
Before calling and finding out the reasons for interruptions in water supply, it is important to familiarize yourself with the current legislation in this area. This needs to be done purely for practical reasons - knowledge of regulatory requirements will help build a conversation with public utilities in a more constructive direction.
The procedure for providing services in the housing and communal services sector is regulated in detail by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354, approved on 05/06/2011. The standards for ensuring the safety and normal functioning of hot water systems are enshrined in a special relevant act - SanPiN 2.1.4.2496-09, adopted by the Chief Sanitary Doctor on 04/07/2009.
According to paragraph 4 of Art. 157 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, poor-quality service or supply of resources with interruptions that exceed the permissible period entails a reduction in the fee charged for utility services. In this case, the culprit is obliged to transfer a fine to the consumer. The grounds on which you can count on compensation for damage caused are described in Art. 1064 Civil Code. The specifics of liability for failure to fulfill obligations are provided for in Chapter 25 of the Code.
Maximum water outage duration
Settlements have different population sizes. The time of turning off the water supply depends on this indicator. In settlements with a population of 5 to 50 thousand or more, water can be turned off for no more than 10 minutes. The same time is given to switch the system to the emergency line. If the village has a population of 5 thousand or less, the water can be turned off for no more than a day.
ATTENTION! Repair work is carried out within 24 hours, no more.
It is important that the responsible dispatcher is at the workplace, can inform consumers, and monitor the progress of repairs. If possible, emergency water supply is provided and it is delivered to residential buildings.
Summer renovation campaign
Every year, in cities with central heating systems, hot water supply is temporarily stopped. This campaign takes place in the summer with the aim of preparing communications for the heating season. Work begins at the end of May and ends before September. Muscovites have to endure inconvenience for up to 10 days, although not so long ago repairs and maintenance could last more than two weeks.
Houses are switched off in order of priority, not simultaneously. A special schedule is drawn up in which a person can find his address and find out the dates of suspension of the hot water supply. If repairs according to the approved plan have not yet begun or have already been completed, but there is no water, residents need to notify the relevant organizations.
Disconnection due to repair of water supply in the apartment
Should residents warn their neighbors if they turn off the water only in the entrance or one house to repair pipes in the apartment or install plumbing? By law, such an announcement must also be made. Residents of neighboring apartments will check that all taps are closed and will be able to stock up on water even for a short period of absence. The announcement must indicate until how long the water supply will not work. The closure is carried out by a team of plumbers from the housing office or another responsible authority, and they will then connect the water supply.
What to do if your application is refused?
Upon consideration of the complaint, the supervisory authority can give either a positive or negative answer . In addition, in some cases the complaint may not be considered at all.
We are talking here not only about the incorrect execution of the document, but also about the lack of prior application by the user to the Criminal Code. If the complaint was nevertheless accepted for proceedings and an investigation was carried out into the illegal actions of the water utility, then a refusal can follow only under one condition - if the supply company can prove that its employees acted within the law.
As for a negative response to a complaint, it must be provided in writing and must include not only the sealed signatures of the performer and manager, but also the reasons for the refusal. Moreover, each of these factors must have a legislative basis.
Upon receipt of such a notification, the consumer can take 2 paths - either pay off debts or go to court . The claim should be filed at the location of the MKD within 10 days from the date the authority that considered the complaint issued a negative decision.
As you can see, turning off the water supply is accompanied by a number of problems, the solution of which may take more than one day. However, you can save yourself from additional difficulties - all you need to do is pay your utility bills on time.
What to do first if there is no water supply?
Consumers do not always know who is responsible for supplying water. Therefore, you should be careful when signing a contract with a supplier. If there is no cold water coming from the tap without warning, your first step should be to contact your utility services. The dispatcher contacted by the consumer must answer the question and, in any case, register the request. Such registration will help if you need to seek recalculation of utility bills due to interruptions in water supplies.
The obligation of the water utility is to supply uninterrupted cold water, turn it off for the permitted period and only with warning to the population.
IMPORTANT! Disabling utility services to repair internal communications is carried out only by approved methods.
You need to sign an agreement with the water utility, which specifies its responsibilities. If, in case of problems with water supply, the water utility does not respond to consumer complaints, you should contact the City Executive Committee. This authority exercises main control over the city's water utility workers.
Responsibilities and responsibilities of the supplier for violation of deadlines
The duties and responsibilities of the utility service provider are specified in the contract, which guarantees uninterrupted water supply and maintenance of water quality in accordance with standards.
In case of violation of water shut-off standards, the utility service provider is liable to residents, which may include compensation for payments for water supply.
Every hour above the standard for lack of water saves 0.15% of residents' payments.
