Water conservation

[Petunia 100]

Not as a rule.
It's been decades since there has been a significant drought here.

I have city water (strangely enough since I'm in the country), so watering the garden can get expensive.
It rains enough to keep the IBC totes reasonably filled during growing season.

Which state are you in?

[Petunia 100]

True story: there was a guy here who was issued a citation because he was pumping water from the gutter into storage tanks for watering. City said the water is their property once it's in the gutter.

The rain gutters attached to his home or street gutters?

[TexasHusker]

The rain gutters attached to his home or street gutters?

street gutters

[ua_guy]

True story: there was a guy here who was issued a citation because he was pumping water from the gutter into storage tanks for watering. City said the water is their property once it's in the gutter.

So let me get this straight. He was reprimanded for using city property and city-owned drainage systems to personally benefit himself and his property? How is that any different from borrowing a city-owned pickup truck on the weekend to haul some furniture for a friend? Does it not all fall under fraud/waste/abuse policies?

[TexasHusker]

So let me get this straight. He was reprimanded for using city property and city-owned drainage systems to personally benefit himself and his property? How is that any different from borrowing a city-owned pickup truck on the weekend to haul some furniture for a friend? Does it not all fall under fraud/waste/abuse policies?

I think that's precisely what happened! He had a small hose in the gutter pumping water into a container, and he got a misdemeanor for theft. I told him he needs to stick with twirking on ambulances at active accident scenes in order to steer clear of the law.

[JoeP]

I am not a fan of lawns. There are so many natural ways to have a beautifully landscaped yard which doesn't involve lawn or excessive watering routines.

This is one of my biggest gripes: lawn irrigation systems. If you live in an area that doesn't naturally support a lawn, then why in the world would you waste resources to have one?

[TexasHusker]

This is one of my biggest gripes: lawn irrigation systems. If you live in an area that doesn't naturally support a lawn, then why in the world would you waste resources to have one?

My thoughts exactly. I don't understand why people have air conditioning in places that are obviously hot. Using all of that energy to keep things cool in Phoenix? Come on.

And why are we heating dwellings in northern climates that are naturally cold? Seems dumb.

[bjl584]

Which state are you in?

Pennsylvania

[bjl584]

True story: there was a guy here who was issued a citation because he was pumping water from the gutter into storage tanks for watering. City said the water is their property once it's in the gutter.

I've heard of things like that.
Luckily, there are no ordinances where I live.
I'm basically free to do whatever I want on my property.
My cousin used to live in an HOA and he wasn't permitted to do anything.
He couldn't wait to move out of there.

[JoeP]

My thoughts exactly. I don't understand why people have air conditioning in places that are obviously hot. Using all of that energy to keep things cool in Phoenix? Come on.

And why are we heating dwellings in northern climates that are naturally cold? Seems dumb.

Weren't we talking about water?

[TexasHusker]

Weren't we talking about water?

Yes, but it's the same concept. People in dry states are wasting water to keep things wet. People in hot states are wasting energy trying to keep things cool. Etc.

Probably need to hit the reset button and do a lot more twerking.

[JoeP]

Yes, but it's the same concept. People in dry states are wasting water to keep things wet. People in hot states are wasting energy trying to keep things cool. Etc.

I'll agree that the concept is similar, but not the same; there is a difference between use and waste. In this discussion, "use" means consumption necessary to exist, and "waste" means consumption beyond necessity. I think we can all agree that until someone invents a location where resource usage is unnecessary, we all need to use resources wisely to simply exist.

Watering lawns in places they shouldn't exist is unnecessary and wasteful usage. Same would be the case for someone in Northern Canada setting up huge natural gas furnaces to keep their yard above 70 degrees F year-round so they can enjoy the palm and citrus trees they want to have in their yard.

[TexasHusker]

I'll agree that the concept is similar, but not the same; there is a difference between use and waste. In this discussion, "use" means consumption necessary to exist, and "waste" means consumption beyond necessity. I think we can all agree that until someone invents a location where resource usage is unnecessary, we all need to use resources wisely to simply exist.

Watering lawns in places they shouldn't exist is unnecessary and wasteful usage. Same would be the case for someone in Northern Canada setting up huge natural gas furnaces to keep their yard above 70 degrees F year-round so they can enjoy the palm and citrus trees they want to have in their yard.

I live in a part of Texas where, if you didn't water it, everything would be dead. And if everything was dead, that wouldn't be too good - this small region provides roughly half of the beef consumed in the U.S. Of course, we are sitting on top of the largest aquifer in the world - the Ogallala - but even it is not bottom-less.

At some point - certainly not in my lifetime - we will as a nation need to create a pipeline/water distribution system (a network of pipelines) to better address areas that are suffering drought, not unlike a power grid. The southeastern US had almost a decade-long drought that ended just a few years ago. These situations could be greatly eased with a water supply grid system.

Droughts are nothing new, but they could sure be better managed.

[corn18]

One thing that baffles me is why California isn't water independent. They could have been building desalination plants over the last 50 years, but they haven't. Seems they are more concerned about some liken or some other useless sea life and would rather drain Lake Meade. Idiots.

[bjl584]

One thing that baffles me is why California isn't water independent. They could have been building desalination plants over the last 50 years, but they haven't. Seems they are more concerned about some liken or some other useless sea life and would rather drain Lake Meade. Idiots.

They could be electric independent too, but that isn't going so well either.