River Water

[sueinprescott]

the "Verde River".

 

[David Mullen]

I would require certification from the local health authority stating that the river water is safe and potable. They probably will never be able to get such a certification because no one can control what is dumped into a river or dies in the river upstream.

Without such a certification to cover you, guess who will come looking for you if the buyer gets sick or if the lender acquires the property at some future date and is unable to sell it without a source of potable water.

Maybe there is no other source of water available for this property other than trucking in water. I have seen properties that have to do that and it creates a marketability problem in addition to a great inconvenience for the occupant.

 

[Oregon Doug]

Out here in central OR, Domestic water from rivers and springs is not all that uncommon - typically for older, rural homes. Filtration & purefying systems have usually been installed and in some areas are required for wells also as we have areas of natural heavy metal ground water contamination (arsnic).

If your appraisal is for a sale, be sure to CYA and call for a water potobility test.

I had a case last year in which a seller showed a new purification system to the appraiser during the inspection and told him of the ongoing difficulties with the well water (arsnic contamination). The appraiser failed to mention it in the appraisal (error of omission) report. Both the buyer and lender relied on the appraisal. In the end, the court reversed the sale and we have a very unhappy (and poorer) appraiser among us.

Oregon Doug

 

[Pam Wyant]

The report should definitely be conditioned on testing of the water source to determine it is safe and adequate. And like Steve said, try to include and identify a comp with a similar water source. I would also mention the muddy water in the toilet - (did you run the sink or shower? what about there?) - that could have quite an adverse effect on marketability - hard on fixtures (toilet tanks & water heaters) and unappealing, plus what about the effect on laundry (ruined clothes or spending extra time & $$$ at laundromats).