SANTA CRUZ – City workers will ticket people washing cars and watering lawns during the heart of day due to water shortage concerns.
Fearing the city reservoir could run low this summer, the city Water Department plans mandatory limits on water use beginning May 1. Some 90,000 people between Capitola and the north coast areas will be affected. - SignOnSanDiego.com
Is this a reasonable application of government power? Is it even constitutional? Failure to comply will result in a $25 ticket, and repeat offenders could have their water turned off. Even if it is constitutional, is it right that the government has the authority to do this? What gives them the right to do this?
Posts: 17506 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
" Hosepipe bans", as we call these restrictions, are a feature of British life (a surprise to the innocents living in other countries, who imagine it rains here all the time). When, as has happened, we get a series of dry summers and no compensatory exceptional rainfall in the other seasons we find that the ground water level gets low. It's always a joke that these bans go on even when it has been wet: the time lag between rain falling and water arriving underground is quite long and it takes a long period of normal rainfall, not just the odd downpour, to replenish the sources.
They never really worry anyone much. Who washes the car, anyway ? As for watering lawns this is rarely, if ever, essential in Britain: lawns are a lot tougher than some gardeners think.
It's better to be prepared and save water in advance and so avoid more serious problems.
These types of restrictions on water usage have been happening in communities all over the US for years. No daytime watering, houses with even or odd addresses can only water on certain days, etc.
Posts: 2006 | Location: Boise, Idaho, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Yeah, that's pretty stupid. Afterall, you're paying for the water, you should be able to do with it as you please. What's next? They going to start timing people in the shower?
Of course, I've heard of water conservation alerts in my area, before. Where they ASK people to please not water their lawn or wash their cars, as they are not essentials. But, it's only a request. Not enforceable under penalty of law.
I suppose that in the dryer regions, the problem can be more serious. Thus, they're probably doing what they think is the easiest solution to the problem. It's not the right solution, mind you. Not to mention all the extra $$ and brownie points the meter maids can make off of enforcing it.
Reminds me of in my area, we have some pathetic little group of wanna-be cops who drive around the neighborhoods (not sure what they're actually called, so I just call them "the dog patrol") checking outdoor dogs for current dog tags. They make us buy new ones every year. There's no reason for it, other than to make the city/county more money. Anyway, "the dog patrol" will write you a summons to appear in court if your dog license is not current. Happened to me once, and it cost me over $100. after court costs, for a $10. license. It's a real racket. And, I knows it's wrong. But, what else can you do but complain and comply?
Dog license? Is that universal in the States?Do you employ lots of wardens to enforce the law? We had dog licences in Britain up to 1987 (when they cost seven shillings and sixpence per dog, which was peanuts for mutts) We gave up because this raised little revenue and was bureaucratic waste. However it remains the law that every dog must have a disc or tag bearing particulars of its keeper.
Fred Remember the radio licence? Most of the families did not buy one. and B) it was Unpoliceable with Transistor radios selling in the 1000s...they merged it into the TV licence and how do you penalise somebody who has a radio for company( And no TV!) these days? And all Uk Members will agree that The TV Licence goes to the BBC ...and all other companies self finance with Adverts...The BBC also has outside financing yet it still thinks Mr and Mrs Mug should Pay a substantial charge up front for its "offerings" which these days are rather poor
Ps Other channels(and Independent Production companies) are making programmmes in BBC Studios. Something unheard of many years ago They rent the space and facilities ...yet there is no freeze in the licence fee or talk of its future...Still rises!
Posts: 13481 | Location: 6 miles west of Wigan UK | Registered: 06-05-02
Originally posted by DorianGreyed: Speaking of subways, doesn't Moscow's subway have some really beautiful stations?
Yes,very fine and though they are old, in the dog days of Summer when there's a drought, the metro stations are cool. That's because of the 393 ventilation shafts and 4965 'ventilation systems' in the Moscow Metro (tube, underground ).
I think more communities should look into piping canal water into the neighborhoods so that people can use it to water their lawn and wash their car. It's a waste to use fresh water for those sort of luxury things. I use canal water to water my lawn. It's a lot cheaper too.
It seems to me that if government has the power to ration in times of need, then it has the power to place some controls on that which it provides to begin with.
I guess folks who provide their own water and sewer (with wells and septic tanks) are exempt.
Posts: 8087 | Location: in the backwoods of North Carolina | Registered: 06-07-02
Out here the city wants to put meters on wells and charge us for it, claiming that the source still takes from the overall fresh water supply in the area.
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