September 23, 2026 at 6:35 am

Painters Used A Homeowner’s Water Spigot To Power Wash Her Townhouse Before Painting, And She’s Not Happy About It

by Jayne Elliott

man using a pressure washer

Shutterstock

Water can be pretty expensive, especially if you use a lot of it. That’s why the homeowner who wrote this story is really upset.

She lives in an HOA, and she pays her water bill on her own. It’s not an expense that’s included in her HOA fee.

Unfortunately, the painters the HOA hired have hooked up their pressure washer to her water spigot.

She’s fuming, and I would be too.

Keep reading for all the details.

I personally get to pay for the neighborhood to get power washed?!

My group of townhouses is being painted millennial GRAY.

I must have missed some votes and notices on that because I was surprised by it. Whatever.

But before they paint, they have to power wash.

This doesn’t seem fair at all!

Well I’m the end unit with a spigot on the side of the house, all the center units have spigots inside the garage.

So I go to walk my dog and the painters have connected their pressure washer to MY spigot to do the power washing for our culdesac.

The water is not a shared utility, I pay an exorbitant rate for water as it in the mountain west, now I get to pay for the neighborhood’s power washing.

I am fuming and the community manager isn’t taking my calls.

The HOA should refund her for the water cost. I hope she can get them on the phone.

Let’s see how Reddit responded.

This is good advice.

2026 09 18 at 11.44.51 AM Painters Used A Homeowners Water Spigot To Power Wash Her Townhouse Before Painting, And Shes Not Happy About It

Here’s a similar thought.

2026 09 18 at 11.45.15 AM Painters Used A Homeowners Water Spigot To Power Wash Her Townhouse Before Painting, And Shes Not Happy About It

One person shares an easy way to track how much water they use.

2026 09 18 at 11.45.39 AM Painters Used A Homeowners Water Spigot To Power Wash Her Townhouse Before Painting, And Shes Not Happy About It

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a renter who receives a text saying his landlord has passed and asking for checks to go to a different account, but he’s not sure it’s real.

Another person was in a similar situation at their townhome but with electricity not water.

2026 09 18 at 11.46.09 AM Painters Used A Homeowners Water Spigot To Power Wash Her Townhouse Before Painting, And Shes Not Happy About It

To be fair to the HOA, the HOA may not have told the painters to use her water spigot. They may have come to that decision on their own assuming it wouldn’t be a big deal.

Regardless, she shouldn’t have to pay for the water the painters are using. Turning off the water until she reaches an agreement with the HOA and the painters would be the best way to handle this.

At least she was home and saw what was happening! It’d be unfortunate to be out of town and wonder why your water bill was sky high the next month.

Enjoyed this story?

Readers who liked this also read this story about an employee who was fired because of a coworkers lies, only to get the chance for revenge years later.
Read Story

Jayne Elliott | Contributing Writer, Life & Drama

Jayne Elliott is a contributing writer and editor for TwistedSifter specializing in human interest stories, internet culture, and family dynamics. With over 12 years of editorial experience in digital publishing, Jayne excels at analyzing complex online communities and transforming viral social debates into thoughtful, highly engaging narratives.

Rather than simply aggregating internet drama, Jayne brings a sharp, empathetic editorial eye to everyday dilemmas. She has a unique talent for unpacking the nuances of pop culture and online conflicts, providing readers with relatable, well-researched commentary.

Based in California, Jayne spends her free time outside the newsroom exploring theme parks with her family or beach-combing along the coast.

Follow Jayne's adventures and connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.