Comments on: I Can Fix the Water “Shortage” in Five Minutes http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html Dispatches from a Small Business Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:53:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Marla http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5359 Marla Tue, 08 May 2007 07:35:17 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5359 <p>Fresno, CA's Water Infrastruture Compromised - Mass Cover Up </p> <p>Illegal and unauthorized re-routing and cross connecting of water lines across private properties. Upon reporting this to the City of Fresno, a Restraining Order was filed against me - they claim I am a "liar." Oddly, their records verify exactly what I reported. </p> <p>Our sewer and water infrastructure have been compromised. I believe we may be headed for a disaster of major proportions.</p> <p>Illegal, unauthorized, re-routing, cross-connecting of sewer/water lines from one end of Fresno to the other. Somehow being connected to the main line during city-wide revitalization.<br /> <br /> Various homes removed - others removed from foundations and shifted over to cover up evidence. Plat maps altered as though no changes. Done in-between sales or under the guise of "home repairs" this has been going on parcel by parcel all these years. No permits or inspections for ANY of this!<br /> <br /> Unauthorized street widening, relocation of utility poles to line back up, sewer drains, etc. City and PG&E records also altered as though no changes. Our homes, etc. are not what they appear to be - beneath the patching is trash, mold, etc. Yet the prices continue to escalate. </p> <p>By simply digging in the lot next to me, where this group ran my family off, a mountain of evidence exists. (Or anywhere else in town - the evidence is everywhere.) </p> <p>Mass cover up.</p> Fresno, CA’s Water Infrastruture Compromised – Mass Cover Up

Illegal and unauthorized re-routing and cross connecting of water lines across private properties. Upon reporting this to the City of Fresno, a Restraining Order was filed against me – they claim I am a “liar.” Oddly, their records verify exactly what I reported.

Our sewer and water infrastructure have been compromised. I believe we may be headed for a disaster of major proportions.

Illegal, unauthorized, re-routing, cross-connecting of sewer/water lines from one end of Fresno to the other. Somehow being connected to the main line during city-wide revitalization.

Various homes removed – others removed from foundations and shifted over to cover up evidence. Plat maps altered as though no changes. Done in-between sales or under the guise of “home repairs” this has been going on parcel by parcel all these years. No permits or inspections for ANY of this!

Unauthorized street widening, relocation of utility poles to line back up, sewer drains, etc. City and PG&E records also altered as though no changes. Our homes, etc. are not what they appear to be – beneath the patching is trash, mold, etc. Yet the prices continue to escalate.

By simply digging in the lot next to me, where this group ran my family off, a mountain of evidence exists. (Or anywhere else in town – the evidence is everywhere.)

Mass cover up.

]]> By: Noumenon http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5358 Noumenon Wed, 25 Apr 2007 10:33:56 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5358 <p>If water prices were the way they should be, people like me would buy 1.1 gal/flush toilets voluntarily, and people like Myrtle with their revolting mega-poopie and giant toilet paper wads could get the 5 gallon ones.</p> <p>OTOH a lot of people would buy the 5 gallon ones just to secure status, the way they buy quilted toilet paper to prove they're not as cheap as a McDonald's restroom. So the toilet law helps.</p> If water prices were the way they should be, people like me would buy 1.1 gal/flush toilets voluntarily, and people like Myrtle with their revolting mega-poopie and giant toilet paper wads could get the 5 gallon ones.

OTOH a lot of people would buy the 5 gallon ones just to secure status, the way they buy quilted toilet paper to prove they’re not as cheap as a McDonald’s restroom. So the toilet law helps.

]]> By: boulder water http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5357 boulder water Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:55:52 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5357 <p>Living in Colorado, where a lot of the southwest gets there water from, we're very aware of water usage. It's amazing what some education and seeing the effects of drought in person can do for water conservation. After the few years of drought that Colorado has suffered, the water use per capita has gone down. I don't know if it was seeing the empty reservoirs or the mandatory water restrictions that were in place for a few years, but water usage has gone down. The interesting thing was that after the mandatory restrictions were lifted, water usage stayed down. That leads me to believe that a little education and a little fear go a long way to changing habits. I know I think twice before turning the sprinkler system on.</p> <p>Also, Boulder, Colorado has just implemented a water budget system this year - http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2759&Itemid=2039<br /> It's based on your home and lot size. Many residents are complaining about having to pay a lot more...my personal experience so far is being under budget and paying the same amount as last year... we'll see what happens when the long dry months of summer come and my lawn dies :-)</p> <p>Good blog... Thanks!</p> Living in Colorado, where a lot of the southwest gets there water from, we’re very aware of water usage. It’s amazing what some education and seeing the effects of drought in person can do for water conservation. After the few years of drought that Colorado has suffered, the water use per capita has gone down. I don’t know if it was seeing the empty reservoirs or the mandatory water restrictions that were in place for a few years, but water usage has gone down. The interesting thing was that after the mandatory restrictions were lifted, water usage stayed down. That leads me to believe that a little education and a little fear go a long way to changing habits. I know I think twice before turning the sprinkler system on.

Also, Boulder, Colorado has just implemented a water budget system this year – http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2759&Itemid=2039
It’s based on your home and lot size. Many residents are complaining about having to pay a lot more…my personal experience so far is being under budget and paying the same amount as last year… we’ll see what happens when the long dry months of summer come and my lawn dies :-)

Good blog… Thanks!

]]> By: Mormon http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5356 Mormon Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:20:50 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5356 <p>Yeah, raise prices and give the government more control over markets and every day life...sounds awesome. Oh yeah, and screw that corn...it uses our water!..all we get out of it is lame stuff like ethanol, bio-plastics and food...who wants all that!?!</p> <p>down with corn and other water consuming crops!!!!</p> Yeah, raise prices and give the government more control over markets and every day life…sounds awesome. Oh yeah, and screw that corn…it uses our water!..all we get out of it is lame stuff like ethanol, bio-plastics and food…who wants all that!?!

down with corn and other water consuming crops!!!!

]]> By: Myrtle http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5355 Myrtle Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:34:55 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5355 <p>Dave,</p> <p>I'm sure you get a nice commission from Kohler. </p> Dave,

I’m sure you get a nice commission from Kohler.

]]> By: James http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5354 James Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:24:15 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5354 <p>See Gary Becker on water pricing:</p> <p>http://www.becker-posner-blog.com/archives/2007/02/how_to_conserve.html</p> See Gary Becker on water pricing:

http://www.becker-posner-blog.com/archives/2007/02/how_to_conserve.html

]]> By: Damir Olejar http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5353 Damir Olejar Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:05:48 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5353 <p>If gas pumps provide benzine that is not in a gas state at all, we should have gas pumps for water.</p> If gas pumps provide benzine that is not in a gas state at all, we should have gas pumps for water.

]]> By: Al Bundy http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5352 Al Bundy Thu, 19 Apr 2007 05:38:43 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5352 <p>@David Zetland,</p> <p>my Ferguson rules!</p> @David Zetland,

my Ferguson rules!

]]> By: Robert K http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5351 Robert K Wed, 18 Apr 2007 19:55:12 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5351 <p>@Myrtle <br /> If you think the modern toilets are all weak, you really need to get your facts straight. I have a 1.5 gallon toilet that is easily more powerful than any 5 gallon from back in the day. I recently looked at government test results and the newest 1.1 gallon toilets even blow mine away...and mine has plenty of power. Never had to flush it twice..ever. You really need to do some research before spouting off about things you have no experience with besides watching 1 episode of married with children. </p> @Myrtle
If you think the modern toilets are all weak, you really need to get your facts straight. I have a 1.5 gallon toilet that is easily more powerful than any 5 gallon from back in the day. I recently looked at government test results and the newest 1.1 gallon toilets even blow mine away…and mine has plenty of power. Never had to flush it twice..ever. You really need to do some research before spouting off about things you have no experience with besides watching 1 episode of married with children.

]]> By: David Zetland http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html/comment-page-1#comment-5350 David Zetland Wed, 18 Apr 2007 18:51:18 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2007/04/i_can_fix_the_w.html #comment-5350 <p>You are completely right. (I've been studying this for three years for my dissertation on urban water management.) The major barriers to pricing water at higher levels are these:<br /> 1) Inertia. People are used to paying little or none. 150% increase in rates sounds horrible until you realize its from $0.10/100 gallons to $0.25/100 gallons. Look at what people pay for bottled water!<br /> 2) Chargin based on cosst, not willingness to pay. Most prices are based on cost recovery, not opportunity cost (ie, if there was trading). In the US, most water arrives from public utilities with a mandate to sell water as a "public service", which means as cheap as possible. They need to maximize the value of water.<br /> 3) Agricultural use of water is FAR more outrageous, mostly because they pay lower--even subsidized--prices. </p> <p>The "solution" is not dams, more pumping or even low-flush toilets. The solution--as you point out--is charging something sensible for water. (If you are worried about the poor, do not give them cheap water, give them $$ and let them decide what to do with it.)</p> <p>ps/Economists have been arguing for markets in water for over 50 years. IF you are curious, the literature, theory and data available are vast.</p> You are completely right. (I’ve been studying this for three years for my dissertation on urban water management.) The major barriers to pricing water at higher levels are these:
1) Inertia. People are used to paying little or none. 150% increase in rates sounds horrible until you realize its from $0.10/100 gallons to $0.25/100 gallons. Look at what people pay for bottled water!
2) Chargin based on cosst, not willingness to pay. Most prices are based on cost recovery, not opportunity cost (ie, if there was trading). In the US, most water arrives from public utilities with a mandate to sell water as a “public service”, which means as cheap as possible. They need to maximize the value of water.
3) Agricultural use of water is FAR more outrageous, mostly because they pay lower–even subsidized–prices.

The “solution” is not dams, more pumping or even low-flush toilets. The solution–as you point out–is charging something sensible for water. (If you are worried about the poor, do not give them cheap water, give them $$ and let them decide what to do with it.)

ps/Economists have been arguing for markets in water for over 50 years. IF you are curious, the literature, theory and data available are vast.

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