Florida court challenges off-the-grid living

A Florida woman has until March to connect her home to a municipal water line or face possible eviction. 

Robin Speronis lives off the grid, independent of the city's water and electric system. A Florida court ruled this off-the-grid living illegal last week. Officials in the city of Cape Coral have also deemed her home "unsanitary," citing the International Property Maintenance Code, which mandates that homes be connected to an electricity grid and a running water source. Speronis' home fulfills both needs through alternative methods — solar panels and rainwater, which she collects and sanitizes.

In court, city officials argued that Speronis used city-owned drains for waste disposal but didn't pay for the service. The city capped her sewer in response, which stopped Speronis from using the city's wastewater management system.