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EBMUD needs to rethink it’s rationing plan, says editorial: “Using average water use over the last three years would penalize those who were most diligent in conserving water”

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 14, 2008 at 4:51 pm

From Inside the Bay Area, this editorial:

EBMUD officials have a goal of 15 percent reduction in water use for businesses and residents, with a conservation target of 19 percent for residents of single-family homes. These overall goals seem to be appropriate and should not be too great a hardship for most water users. However, EBMUD officials need to reconsider their proposed method of rationing.

The chief flaw is basing water rationing on average use over the past three years. Many EBMUD customers have been conserving their water use for many years, while others have not. Using average water use over the last three years would penalize those who were most diligent in conserving water. Residents who have not been careful about water use could cut back 19 percent and still use far more water than conservation-minded neighbors.

EBMUD’s plans to increase rates and use surcharges to enforce rationing make sense. But it would be more equitable to base water-use policy on the number of gallons used per person in a household. Those who already are frugal water consumers might no have to cut back much, or at all, while those who use excessive amounts of water might have to cut back more than 19 percent.

While EBMUD has suggested some easy and sensible ways to reduce water usage, the editorial notes:

… such restrictions already have been self-imposed by many of EBMUD’s customers. It would be unfair to force them to reduce water use by the same percentage as those who have not taken any action to conserve.

EBMUD has the ability to gather the necessary data to base conservation on a gallons-per-person basis for residential consumption. That is the fairest method to effectively ration water without imposing undue hardships on those who have been the most responsible in the past in using water.

Read the full text of this editorial from Inside the Bay Area by clicking here.

May 14, 2008 · Filed Under Conservation

Comments

One Response to “EBMUD needs to rethink it’s rationing plan, says editorial: “Using average water use over the last three years would penalize those who were most diligent in conserving water””

Ray Walker on May 15th, 2008 5:50 am

Conserving water is admirable…so is conserving new ideas.

The true thinkers are denied access to implementation of creativity because they lack the political contacts reserved to insiders who haven’t had an original thought in years.

All the old heads refuse to consider that any alternative other than one originating from their superiors is worthy of investigation.

It is of no concern to those who regulate perceived shortages that those they supposedly serve have a right to hear about & have investiaged other viable solutions.

CA may soon declare moritoriums on anything new that requires any depletion to existing water supplies. The ensuing water fights for political power will likely devastate CA’s economy.

Is this scenario necessary ?….maybe not….

An adequate new fresh water Source has been offered up for verification & investigation, but the concept does not originate from the existing establishment. None of the 450 CA water agencies would have dared to conceive of a million acre feet a year solution, the development of which will not damage existing water rights or the environment. The shock of formulating options to cure the Salton Sea, Colorado River Delta, Mono Lake, Pyramid Lake would be devastating to the status quo.

Could this marvelous Source have been already in place and functioning ? Yes, but critical years have now passed since it was first offered and the communication lines were never opened between knowledge and the closed idea circuit.

How many more years will it be before this vast natural resource is analyzed let alone pursued & developed ?

Sadly, a crisis like Katrina, Mayanmar(Burma) or China’s earthquake will have to occur so that fault can assigned by finger pointing and denial by those awaiting retirement. By then, it will be a bit late ….

Ray Walker (Retired Water Rights Analyst) waterrdw@yahoo.com