Elderly Palm Desert woman says cold tap water in her condo runs too hot

83-year-old Patricia Westcott looked out over her low-maintenance, rock-covered yard, put in place two years ago by her homeowner’s association.

While happy with the way it looks, shes says the rocks, heated by the sun, are heating water pipes underground, turning the cold water in her condo hot.

“I’m frustrated and I’m angry,” said Westcott.

The retired nurse says the cold water can run so hot, she can’t take a shower and is forced to take a sponge bath.

“I want my cold water faucet back to cold. I’m tired of the hot water coming out of the cold,” said Westcott.

Wanting relief, Westcott contacted her homeowner’s association.

But, she claims they gave her “the run around”.

“I keep writing back to them, and kept telling them the problem, and I want it fixed,” said Westcott.

The great-grandmother also contacted the Coachella Valley Water District, who told her “there is nothing wrong with the pipes”.

She then contacted CBS Local 2 and asked us to help.

“It’s my right here as an owner of this unit to be comfortable and live comfortably,” said Westcott.

While at Patricia’s condo, we ran the water at the kitchen sink, filled a glass with water, and put a thermometer in the glass.

After a few minutes, the thermometer appeared to show the temperature at about 96 degrees.

Patricia says she’s not the only one dealing with the hot water issue.

She says her neighbor Bill is having the same problem.

We contacted the homeowner’s association for Kingspoint Villas to see how they might respond to Patricia’s complaint.

Ali Nucci, the president of the HOA wouldn’t talk on camera but provided a detailed, written response, and photos, showing what she says they’ve already done to address Westcott’s concerns, actions Westcott did not tell us about when we first met with her.

“They haven’t done a thing. They just beat around the bush,” said Westcott.

Nucci wrote, in part: “The board took Mrs. Westcott’s complaint seriously and conducted a thorough investigation.”

She also said her crew dug up the water pipe to verify its location, and to show Westcott that it does not run under the space in the yard covered by rock.

But, when we went back to talk with Westcott a second time, she said she believes the pipe they uncovered is not the pipe that brings cold water to her condo.

“Yes, I remember that but that’s not the pipe,” said Westcott.

The HOA also says it has not received any complaints about the water from people living in the other 65 units at the complex, where desert landscaping was also input in place.

A representative for CVWD says the agency occasionally receives complaints about elevated water temperatures from customers in their service area during the summer.

The agency, along with the HOA, blames it simply on hotter temperatures outside.

“I still believe, and my neighbor believes, that it’s been the rocks that has caused our problems,” said Westcott.

Westcott tells us she is “not sure” what she might do next in her effort to resolve her complaint.

Westcott and other seniors in similar disputes with a homeowner’s association might consider taking advantage of low-cost legal services that are available here in the valley.

Desert Legal Aid offers services, offering reduced fees, based on a client’s income. Their phone number is (760) 832-9770.