I am writing to provide some balance to the July 8 article “Transitioning to City Water” by Hillary Borrud regarding the neighborhoods affected by the city of Bend’s condemnation of the Juniper Water District.

I live in Nottingham Square and I was surprised to hear our neighborhood described as “lush,” falsely giving the reader the impression that we are living the golf course life a la Broken Top or Awbrey Butte. In reality, we are a very modest neighborhood of 162 small homes built in the 1980s and occupied mostly by senior citizens. What was described as lush and expansive might be just the eye playing tricks, as there are no fences dividing the individual properties. Our lots are no larger than any other average lot you will find in any neighborhood in Bend.

I believe the article makes it sound like the city is just now telling the subdivisions that they will be transitioning to potable water. We have known about this issue since 2004, and when the amended agreement was signed in 2011, our volunteer homeowner’s association began working diligently to find the best environmental and financial solution for our homeowners. We have paid thousands of dollars for GPS mapping, and spent hundreds of hours in meetings with landscape architects, desert landscape designers, water consultants, contractors, and, of course, with city of Bend engineers and field personnel.

The article also implies that there are simple fixes, such as converting to zero landscape, replacing irrigation systems, and eliminating/reducing areas of irrigation. Every one of these solutions has been thoroughly researched and unfortunately are outrageously expensive, running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, far beyond the financial means of our HOA reserves. Add to this the fact that our HOA must purchase and install two to three meters from city-approved contractors, which has been estimated at $10,000-$20,000 per meter! Meter fees going forward will cost the HOA thousands of dollars per month in addition to paying potable water rates.

All existing water rights for Nottingham Square were removed by the city years ago and every homeowner in our neighborhood has been paying $35 per month, every month, for irrigation water in addition to individual potable water/sewer bills. Beginning in January 2015, we will begin paying for irrigation water at potable rates, plus each homeowner will begin paying $26.07 per month for 30 years to the city of Bend for repairs to the Juniper Water System. The other frustration for residents of Nottingham Square is that absolutely no work will be done in our neighborhood, and yet we will pay for current work being done in the other neighborhoods and also are being told we must share repair costs to city-owned water pipes going forward indefinitely.

We are not in a war with the city of Bend, and have appreciated the hours Eric Forster and Tom Hickman have given to our board of directors, but we do feel that the folly of the condemnation of the Juniper Water System and subsequent legal battle costs are being passed on to the residents, who have become the true victims.

City Councilwoman Sally Russell implied that we are simply spoiled and unwilling to give up our “lush” lifestyle. I suggest she take a few minutes out of her day and drive through Nottingham Square before she make comments that are inaccurate and offensive to our residents.