Water Conservation - Save Now Pay Later
Water Conservation - Save Now Pay Later
North Texas counties went through a drought period, so water restrictions were put in place. You could water lawns only one day per week. You could not wash your car at your house. You could not wash the sidewalks. You may use soaker hoses for the house foundation, but don’t let runoff go more than ten feet from your property line, you had to get special permits to refill repaired pools or build new pools.
The water department monitored your usage via computer. The water police searched neighborhoods for the non-compliant. Neighborhood water watch groups were set up which equated to the friends reporting friends (or enemies) to the water department. Water valves were turned off, signs were put in the yards of abusers, and fines had to be paid.
I obeyed the rules and my water bill decreased. I spent over $160 less on water than in the same period the year before. Well, saved may not be the right word…in the same time period I spent:
Going to the car wash with the three cars at the house: $223
Repairing and replenishing the lawn: $437
Replacing 17 bushes that died: $562
The drought is over, the reservoirs are full, so life is good.
Right. Wrong.
Now the water “authorities” want to raise rates to make up for the water we did not use. According to their reasoning, since they must pay for a set amount of water from the reservoirs, and since that minimum amount of water was not used, they did not get the required revenue from the users, and therefore they have to raise the rates. The fact that the water was not even there to use (and pay for…happily pay for) does not matter.
So much for helping out, conserving, and doing the right thing.
I wonder what the electric company will do now that I installed florescent light bulbs.
Georgia and North Carolina watch out…this could happen to you next.
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I know exactly what you mean. My township just bragged that they lowered the minimum water use to 12000 gallons from 14000 since they have to pay for it from Lake Michigan. 12000 is the median use in the town. So half the town, (like myself that uses only 6k) end up paying for everyone else even if we try to conserve.
I might as well go waste 6000 gallons this month, as it won't cost me anything extra.
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They should be charging maintenance fees independently of water consumption to cover this stuff.
PS: I like how you call your captcha a "security code". Security it ain't.
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