WASTE NOT, WANT NOT--BIG TIME

When it comes to governmental regulation, it seems that the focus on water conservation primarily is on ultimate users--particularly homeowners. Thus, in the United States, much regulatory attention has been given to water appliances such as low flow toilets, shower heads and faucets. Water utilities have experienced the effects of such efforts through reduced revenue and the need to increase rates to recover revenue shortfalls--which by itself can be a conservation measure.

However, perhaps water conservation also should be practiced on a broader scale, particularly by governmental entities. For example, drought conditions in California have been well publicized. Notwithstanding, it has been reported that the federal Bureau of Reclamation recently drained reservoirs into two California rivers to help baby salmon more quickly swim to the Pacific ocean. It has been asserted that the some 23 billion gallons water diverted for the benefit of fish would have been sufficient for the annual requirements of a city of 500,000.*

Recently, officials in Portland, Oregon drained a finished water reservoir of 38 million gallons of treated water after it was discovered that a man allegedly urinated into the reservoir. Subsequent test results should no health risk from the water.**

In the latter 19th Century, the Chicago River, which flowed into Lake Michigan, was reversed by diverting Lake water into the river. As the Lake was the water source for the residents of Chicago, it was found that they were coming down with cholera due to sewage that was being discharged into the river and entering the Lake. Today, more than 100 years later, Lake water still is being diverted to keep the river flowing backward, despite chlorination and other water treatment requirements and modern wastewater treatment.

On a smaller scale perhaps, water utilities also can participate in unnecessary loss of water. For example, one continues to see large quantities of water drained during hydrant flushing. And, many utilities continue to experience substantial leakage from their distribution mains.

If clean water is the limited resource that is claimed, then it may be incumbent that every one, including governmental entities and utilities, share in the responsibility to protect it for the benefit of humankind that really needs it.

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* "California Drains Reservoirs in the Middle of a Drought", Wall Street Journal,May 24-25, 2014, p. A11

** "Portland Criticized For Flushing Reservoir After Man Urinated In It, Water Online, May 16, 2014