After a spate of rainy days, last week brought area residents a series of warm, sunny days, which saw some people break out their hoses and do some watering of their own.
People living in rural areas, particularly rural areas with a lot of agriculture like the County of St. Paul, are perhaps more acutely aware of the importance of rainfall, seeing as several make their living based on whether the weather gods choose to smile down on them.
But others seem to have little concept of how important water it is, and use it as if there’s an endless supply, a particularly worrying trend when Alberta is becoming an increasingly drier province. Whether it’s pressure washing driveways or outdoor rocks, or filling an entire dugout from a well, or running a sprinkler for hours to get a lawn looking perfectly green, there are some uses of water that are wasteful and unnecessary.
Recently, the Town of St. Paul decided to increase their water consumption rates, noting that St. Paul had very low rates in comparison to neighbouring municipalities, but mayor and council agreed it would be a move that would get slammed by people who are already irate over increased property taxes.
One can argue about whether big property tax hikes are justified or warranted, but there is no justification for having such low rates for water consumption.
There needs to be a price tag associated with water flow, and a decent one at that, because when it comes down to it, it’s a commodity infinitely more precious than either precious jewels or natural resources. Let us start treating it that way, before our lakes and rivers have dried up and we realize, we cannot drink oil.
