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Dollars and sense: How we pay for water

Posted by: Maven on October 5, 2009 at 6:46 am

WW_SeptOct09The Water Education Foundation’s latest issue of Western Water examines financing of water infrastructure, both at the local level and from the statewide perspective, and some of the factors that influence how people receive their water, the price they pay for it and how much they might have to pay in the future:

“It’s no secret that providing water in a state with the size and climate of California costs money. The gamut of water-related infrastructure – from reservoirs like Lake Oroville to the pumps and pipes that deliver water to homes, businesses and farms – incurs initial and ongoing expenses. Throw in a new spate of possible mega-projects, such as those designed to rescue the ailing Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and the dollar amount grows exponen­tially to billion-dollar amounts that rival the entire gross national product of a small country.

Who pays for this? Everyone does, individually and collectively. From the urban centers to the most remote farmlands, water comes at a cost, and as long as people have needed access to a clean, reliable source of water, there has been virtually no hurdle too large to ensure the viability of cities and farms, no matter how dry the climate. The reliability of water causes people to think it will always be there, like the air we breathe.

“We are spoiled,” said Univer­sity of Arizona law Professor Robert Glennon, author of the book, Un­quenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What to Do About It, in an interview with Arizona radio station KJZZ July 15. “We get up in the morning and turn on the tap and there is a limit­less supply of fresh water for less than we pay for cell phone service or cable television.”

Today, the question of who pays for water is much more complex than years past. Several factors affect the price, starting with the basics of what it takes to bring water from its source to the tap. In some areas the distance is minimal; in others water travels hundreds of miles through a vast net­work. Many people receive their water at a metered rate, with some paying significantly more if their water use goes beyond designated levels. Others pay a flat fee no matter how much they use. Ultimately, Glennon said, water itself is as free as the air we breathe.

“The reality now is we pay zero for water,” he said. “What we pay for is the delivery and treatment. There is no cost for the commodity itself.” …”

Continue reading this excerpt at the Water Education Foundation website by clicking here.

October 5, 2009 · Filed Under Infrastructure

Comments

One Response to “Dollars and sense: How we pay for water”

  1. WaterSource/WaterBank on October 5th, 2009 1:57 pm

    California is broke, but can she PAY attention …

    Since CA is UNDERWATER, CA could consider RENTING a dam rather than BUYING and building more …

    One example, CA could RENT the AIR SPACE in Lake Mead (28.5 million acre feet) from the Bureau of Reclamation and FILL it with fresh water from the new non-tributary fresh water SOURCE that can be LEASED.

    When available, CA can LEASE carry space in the All American Canal to DELIVER the water to Southern California.

    CA could SUB-LEASE water in Lake Mead to Las Vegas! Vegas (SNWA) plans to spend $4 Billion for an environmental gamble on wells in the desert and $1 Billion on extending their suction pipe further into Lake Mead. Vegas can save $5 Billion !

    The new SOURCE can be developed to deliver and/or accumulate one MILLION ACRE FEET each year for California without damage to the environment or the water rights of anyone, anywhere.

    When FULL, Lake Mead produces 2000 MEGAWATTS of RENEWABLE ENERGY each year and minor releases can restore the Colorado River Delta worth $2 Billion a year. This should pay the RENT for the AIR SPACE.

    IF CA really wants a water solution, a FREE confidential disclosure is offered to any water attorney of California’s choice for verification…

    “REASONABLE PRICED SOLUTIONS ARE POSSIBLE” …!

    WaterSource/WaterBank waterrdw@yahoo.com Retired Water Rights Analyst … a true friend of California

    But, does anyone in CA really care …?

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