Marion County Water Ban

[Blackhawk2001]

So Citizens' Water has gotten the Mayor to approve an emergency ban on watering lawns, rinsing driveways, filling empty swimming pools. Fines can be levied for up to $2500 (for a third citation in a one-year period) but police won't be looking for violators; they'll depend upon citizens' complaints to identify ordinance-breakers.

So, the question I have for INGOers is: Is this a typical "police state power grab" and are citizens who rat out their neighbors being "good citizens" or just "squealers"?

 

[hornadylnl]

Think of them as the neighborhood water watch.

 

[eldirector]

Unfortunately, we aren't the most altruistic folks. Unless there are monetary consequences, a lot of folks will just to whatever they want. Green grass today is worth watching a house burn tomorrow because their is no pressure at the hydrant.

One of the downsides of shared public utilities.

Oh, yeah, to your question: we are one step away from the blue helmets controlling when we flush!

 

[Fletch]

Tragedy of the commons - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[jd4320t]

Pretend someone was tapping into your well and sucking it dry or someone upstream from your ranch was damming up your water supply. What would you do? I would much rather work with them when they ask me to. I won't rat anyone out now but if it were extremely bad and there's a chance I'm losing water pressure I will.

 

[tom1025]

I have been wathing Fox 59 since 5:30 and this has come up a few times this morning. My favorite part is they are also trying to tell people on wells not to water either.

 

[jd4320t]

I have been wathing Fox 59 since 5:30 and this has come up a few times this morning. My favorite part is they are also trying to tell people on wells not to water either.

It's friendly advice so they don't run their wells dry.

 

[bcskypilot]

Please stop using water on your lawn so I can get back to boating on Morse^

 

[DRob]

Nothing new

There's nothing new about this. It's been done several times in the past. Near as I can tell, it hasn't brought the country to it's knees yet.

 

[Westside]

The was a news article a few years back I remember about a town literally shutting off the towns water supply during the day because of a severe water shortage. It was a smaller town in the southern US. I can't remember the name of the town and can't find the article, I will post if I can find it. I just remember that they turned the water on in the evening and then back off in the early morning. with someone on call to turn it on during the day in the event of a fire.

so it can get bad.

 

[Fletch]

The was a news article a few years back I remember about a town literally shutting off the towns water supply during the day because of a severe water shortage. It was a smaller town in the southern US. I can't remember the name of the town and can't find the article, I will post if I can find it. I just remember that they turned the water on in the evening and then back off in the early morning. with someone on call to turn it on during the day in the event of a fire.

so it can get bad.

In Oklahoma, watering restrictions are a way of life due to regional drought. Unfortunately, because we live with subsidized utilities where we buy products for less than market value, shortages will always be the norm. If we had a free market in water provision, a dwindling supply would signal an increase in prices, and folks would ration their own water. But since my water bill doesn't change whether I take 1 shower a day or 30, I have no incentive to conserve, thus they turn to strong-arm tactics.

 

[eldirector]

In Oklahoma, watering restrictions are a way of life due to regional drought. Unfortunately, because we live with subsidized utilities where we buy products for less than market value, shortages will always be the norm. If we had a free market in water provision, a dwindling supply would signal an increase in prices, and folks would ration their own water. But since my water bill doesn't change whether I take 1 shower a day or 30, I have no incentive to conserve, thus they turn to strong-arm tactics.

Wow! You don't pay per gallon? Never heard of that. Most utilities I've used have a base fee, and then a cost/unit over that.

 

[Clay]

my well >>>>>>>>>>>>> city supplied water

 

[Fletch]

Wow! You don't pay per gallon? Never heard of that. Most utilities I've used have a base fee, and then a cost/unit over that.

My water bill changes, but within a range so small that it cannot be reflective of market reality. I've used a ton of water, I've used almost none. The bill is always between about $33 and $38.

 

[eldirector]

Mine was about the same when we lived in town. I think the base charge was $10, and then a rate per 100 ft^3. We seemed to always use about the same amount month to month.

I wonder what my "rate" is on my well? I should put a flow meter and timer on the pump, and see what it costs (in electricity) per gallon. Heck, it would be interesting just to see how many gallons we use a day.

 

[lucky4034]

People in my neighborhood are watering their lawns like crazy and yet theirs doesn't look much better than mine.

Plus our neighborhood is butted up against a cornfield where they are pumping like crazy to keep the crops alive. Hopefully it rains soon...

 

[Fletch]

Watering grass is a waste of water, IMO.

 

[hornadylnl]

Watering grass is a waste of water, IMO.

Yes, but the code nazis will ding you for brown grass and tall grass. Brown grass is a weapon.

 

[Fletch]

Yes, but the code nazis will ding you for brown grass and tall grass. Brown grass is a weapon.

In Oklahoma, after August 1st, brown grass is inevitable.

 

[Baditude]

Watering grass is a waste of water, IMO.

Think of the children.....