I think at some times we are not as enlightened as we hope to be. Here in North Carolina we are in the midst of a drought. Our reservoirs are not just low, but nearly 13 feet below where they should be for this time of year. This has been going on for many months. Last July one could drive by the reservoirs and see they are low and this continued until October before the cities made any attempt to call for conservation. Now, the city fathers in Raleigh are looking to have a 50% surcharge to the water bills in order to try to off set the water usage.
Thankfully, I am on a well.
So why am I concerned? What is happening is a tax, unapproved by the voters. The city has not offered any explanation as to what is to be done with the money collected. If they offered the possibility of new/additional reservoirs that would be one thing. The city said they had to take care of water leaks and this new income would help. Excuse me? What have they been doing with the money they have been collecting from all those people for all this time? Wouldn't you think that a portion of the money collected would have been earmarked for maintenance of the infrastructure?
Another thing that concerns me is the city and county did not impose water restrictions until late in the fall. Even Stevie Wonder could tell the lakes were dropping to alarmingly low levels long before the fall. I don't get the delay in imposing water restrictions (which are not all that strict since everyone is permitted to water outdoors using a garden hose for up to eight hours one day a week). The city (who by the way owns just about the entire water system in the county) is asking for conversation on everyone's part by the way of low flow showers, low water use toilets and the like. There is no incentive for those who already have these items or for others to get and install them, only the opportunity to pay more for less water.
If an electric service did not maintain their lines and distribution system the customers would really be miffed. People would complain they are not getting a service for which they are paying. Well, explain what the difference is between a city water service and the electric company. Well, as I see it one is privately owned and the other is government operated. It would seem as though the government has no answers and is not planning on providing any. We would expect the government to step in if our electric service did this to us. Who do we ask when the government isn't making sense?
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3 comments:
The difference is that the government coffers are a bottomless pit. The state is free to waste taxpayer money and then confiscate more from its victims through coercion, threats, and power. Private business is constrained (in theory) by budgets and decent business practice. Not that private busines wouldn't like to be as confiscatory as government, it just can't--except when it's in bed with the government. The robber state v the robber barons. What a choice! But I bet you'd be better off with the state out of this mess.
I just want to say that I was appalled when I first heard about the 50% surcharge for water usage. The city is asking you to use less water, which will decrease their revenue, and so to make up for it, they are going to tack on a 50% charge. Boy, where did I go wrong? So, instead of lowering your bill by using less water, you just get to use less water and pay more.
It just doesn't seem right. Have all the car washes in the city been shut down? Is the city going to fine all of the Home Owner's Assoc that continue to water their common areas? Can we, as home owners, ask for a reduction on our dues if the association is forced to quit watering the plants?
In this day and age, you would think that we have become a bit smarter. But we live in such a disposable society, that we don't think twice about what we use/use up, or how we use it. Do you still run the water when you brush your teeth? Do you still take 15 minute showers? Do you still waste water, just because you can?
NOw is the time for action. For those of you that haven't started to conserve, now is the time. Remember, little things do really and truly add up to big things. If everyone turns off the water while brushing their teeth, only flushes the toilet when absolutely necessary and cuts down the time of their showers, there will be more water to go around. Now is the time to think and be considerate.
In their infinite wisdom, the city council has finally increased water restrictions (2/15) with less than 90 days of water left in the reservoir. The council has also decided not to implement the 50% surcharge. The first question remains. Why was something not done earlier? Unless there is substantial rain then the city will be going into the sediment layer of the lake for drinking water, but what after that. Now the council wants to come up with even more restrictions of water use but has no idea where to start. I have a few but as I said; I have a well. I don't have the council's ear but they have an effect on my well.
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