[Vision2020] Water: do the little things first; & are we the cause

[Craine Kit]

As I recall from the water conference last summer, one city (I've  
spaced which one) did a toilet exchange program and greatly increased  
the time they had before growth caused a crisis. Perhaps someone has  
a better memory or could provide more details.

Kit Craine


On Apr 26, 2006, at 7:05 AM, Nils Peterson wrote:

> On 4/26/06 6:34 AM, "Matt Decker" <mattd2107 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> We need to save water or minimize the amount of usage or finds an  
>> alternate
>> source WITHOUT halting growth.
>> Matt
>
> Solomon wrote (in part):
> ...
> Wanapum: Used to be Moscow, sole source of water until 1960. Well  
> levels
> dropped from 1930 (beginning of record keeping) until pumping  
> ceased in 1960
> with well levels in essential free fall as the aquifer was drained.  
> It took
> 30 years to recover, but by 1990 it was recharged. Score one for human
> caused decline. (Pumping resumed in 1990 and well levels are again  
> falling,
> following roughly the same curve as the previous pumping period which
> indicates a dry spell coming for Wanapum wells in about 15-20  
> years. The
> Wanapum currently provides @ 30% of Moscow water.)
> ...
>
> Both these points help me. I think Decker is right, this  
> conversation seems
> to show that the only politically palatable solution is one that  
> does not
> impede other values, such as growth. Solomon gives us an answer to my
> question, when will the bathtub go dry? -- we are using a growing  
> amount of
> water and in 15-20 years 30% of the supply will go off line. (Now,  
> we might
> just drill more deep wells and keep going but the fiscal bump of  
> needing to
> spend more on water infrastructure might be a good wake-up call.)
>
> So to the question, what do we do?
> It seems to me that moves to address the issue need to by systemic,  
> not
> acute. They need to be voluntary and/or market driven and not  
> imposed. They
> need to minimize their impact on other values, while providing re- 
> education
> on those values where possible.
>
> The toilet swap plan discussed earlier seems to fit the voluntary  
> and market
> driven criteria.
> Simple voluntary conservation measures, especially the lowest cost  
> moves to
> reduce irrigation of lawns also seem to fit.
>
> Adopting a water budget and enforcing sticking to it is not so  
> politically
> easy, and will be opposed as anti-growth or anti-other values. The  
> City has
> already gone part way with the PBAC agreement. The City has a  
> conservation
> education campaign. What is the next step? When will it be politically
> feasible to take it?
>
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