11 replies to this topic

[Chad Vander Veen]

Is it just our area, or does all of Folsom live water-meter free? That is quite a perk, in my opinion!

[clearwater]

it is ALL of Folsom but it wont last long- we will all be paying for what we use in the not to distant future.
I was amazed when I moved here that there was no metering ( having come from the bay area).
Metering DOES promote conservation.

[melloguy]

QUOTE (clearwater @ Jun 2 2004, 10:24 AM)

Metering DOES promote conservation.

What it really promotes is exportation of higher quality water and uncontrolled growth...

[bordercolliefan]

Melloguy, explain please. Thanks.

[melloguy]

Just a quickie today because I'm about out of lunch time, but I'll add tomorrow...

There are very few sources of new water, desalination being a notable exception, so most of the sources of water needed for development are taken from an existing source. The biggest source (i.e., water rights holder) of available water in this State is agriculture. You take one acre of agriculture out of production and you have enough water for about 25-50 people (dependent on crop and area of usage). Big transfer of water from Imperial Valley to San Diego just completed in the last few months. Farmland out of production costs ag jobs, but provides water for development/business in more urbanized area.

Speaking of San Diego - 75-90% of their water is imported (90% in 2002, last available stat). Another new source of water, recycled (for those who prefer, treated sewage), has had trouble gaining acceptence in San Diego, where it has been referred to as "toilet-to-tap." Other areas use recycled water for landscaping, etc. Funny that San Diego is where this and last year's water meter legislation is originating from...

Water used for landscaping in Folsom that runs off goes through our storm drain system to the American River. It picks up fertilizer, pesticides, oil and grease, etc. during its time on the ground surface. Our sewage is treated near Elk Grove and returned to the Sacramento River. There are politically powerful (READ SoCal) "straws" (i.e., water users) in the Sacramento River downstream of both our storm drains and water treatment plant. These "straws" want their water to have been used as little as possible. Makes their treatment costs that much less. Less water use here means less runoff and less water going to the sewer, therefore less impacted water upstream of the straws.

Please let me know where you would like me to expand.

Joe

[BodenMaddox]

QUOTE (c_vanderveen @ Jun 2 2004, 09:09 AM)

Is it just our area, or does all of Folsom live water-meter free? That is quite a perk, in my opinion!

Empire Ranch (at least our neighborhood) has meters installed. They aren't used... yet. We still pay a flat rate, but if I look at my lawn outside, there's a green cover over a meter.

[melloguy]

QUOTE (c_vanderveen @ Jun 2 2004, 10:09 AM)

Is it just our area, or does all of Folsom live water-meter free? That is quite a perk, in my opinion!

Sorry Chad, all that and I forgot the original question.

Ashland Station - no meter yet. City staff were marking the sidewalks a month or two ago (I thought at the time for meters) and stopped a house away from ours.

[forumreader]

Hi melloguy!

Thank you for your interesting post. I'd love to hear more about this crazy water brokerage system in our state, but I know that you are busy. Do you have any reading recommendations? A while back I did a little internet research, but there are many gaps in my overall understanding of water in Calif.

[melloguy]

QUOTE (forumreader @ Jun 3 2004, 08:58 AM)

Hi melloguy! Thank you for your interesting post.  I'd love to hear more about this crazy water brokerage system in our state, but I know that you are busy.  Do you have any reading recommendations?   A while back I did a little internet research, but there are many gaps in my overall understanding of water in Calif.

Forumreader - Depends on what you are looking for. If you want a environmentalist/fatalistic view of western water, Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner (circa 1987-88) is a good place to start. It was written just before the last major drought and does not consider some of the sources of water we now use. Overall good reading.

If you want the down and dirty view of how we see our State's water, I could loan you my copy of The California Water Plan from our Department of Water Resources. Chapters are titled Recent Events in California Water; Water Supplies; Urban, Agricultural, and Environmental Water Use; Technology in Water Management; Evaluating Options from a Statewide Perspective; Options for Meeting Future Water Needs in Coastal Regions of California; Options for Meeting Future Water Needs in Interior Regions of California; and Options for Meeting Future Water Needs in Eastern Sierra and Colorado River Regions of California. Many numbers, graphs, tables, etc., but it does have easily digestable text and is written for a lay audience. It looks and sounds much more imposing than it is. I'll have it at home and can send it to school with one of the girls if you'd like to borrow it.

[folsom500]

I think still, that regardless of the Water Baron.s and their wholesale sending of our precious Northern California water ( which I adhore) that the use of water meters for residents , industrial , AG or residential does contribute to a significant level of water conservation.
Any arguments on this ?

[forumreader]

Melloguy:

Thank you. I would very much like to take a look at your book!

[melloguy]

QUOTE (folsom500 @ Jun 3 2004, 12:52 PM)

...the use of water meters for residents , industrial , AG or residential does contribute to a significant level of water conservation.   Any arguments on this ?

Depends on what you consider significant. We get spoon fed SoCal water arguments constantly, so have been conditioned to accept them as fact.

Water usage much higher in Sacto than LA? Yes, but that is gross water usage, not net. What they don't tell you is that in LA, nearly all water discharges to the ocean, so their net and gross water usage is nearly the same. LA's sewage plant discharges 400,000,000 gallons of water each and every day to the Pacific Ocean. Or, if treated, enough water each day to supply about 200 families for a year. Multiply that out and LA alone (forget San Diego, Santa Barbara, etc) is flushing enough water to supply Pasadena and Pomona (about one-quarter million people, or another Placer County).

See my post above about our net water usage. That's why you will continually see the Peripheral Canal pop up - by-passes all the Delta sewage treatment plants and stormwater discharges. Yes, for you old timers, it has reared its ugly head again the last few years.