At the Waldrop Place Condominiums in DeKalb County, Georgia, what started as a dispute over water meters escalated into a full-blown crisis — leaving dozens of residents without water for up to three weeks.
Condo owner Caroline Simmons told WSB-TV that nearly 50 units were impacted by abrupt water shut-offs ordered by the homeowners association and its utility contractor, Jasber Utility Services.
"We had people who are on dialysis and chemo who did not have water," Simmons said. "We have children going to school without proper hygiene."
A judge has since issued a temporary restraining order to force the water back on, but residents said it should never have reached that point.
According to Simmons, the conflict began when residents were told they would need to pay $1,600 out of pocket for new water meter installations — a cost many, especially those on fixed incomes, simply couldn't afford.
Despite lacking legal authority, Jasber allegedly proceeded to shut off water service anyway.
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"They have a court order that lets them know they shouldn't be turning the water off, but they've been doing it anyway," Simmons said.
Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated case. Across the country, homeowners associations have faced criticism for controlling or outright neglecting access to essential utilities.
Whether it's preventing residents from installing solar panels, banning native plant lawns, or — like in this case — shutting off water altogether, these decisions often increase costs for homeowners, harm property value, and put people's safety at risk.
The environmental impact can be just as severe. Water shut-offs force families to rely on wasteful bottled water, which generates excess plastic pollution. A lack of water can also disrupt the balance of local ecosystems when lawns and landscapes are damaged.
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As Simmons put it, "Our next steps are to go through the court process. It's the only thing that's available to HOAs so that we can go ahead and have all of this resolved without anyone else losing water."
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