Dry Idea No. 4

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:33:55 -0500

How much are your neighbors conserving?

It's a reasonable question when the area is in a serious drought—but not one you can answer.

Dome was curious last week about how much some of the candidates for statewide office were conserving in their homes. But as it turns out, water bills are not a public record.

(The N&O's Ben Niolet was able to report on the governor's water use, but only because the bill was sent to the governor's office, where it became a public record.)

Water is a public resource, provided by the government. Keeping information on its use private prevents the public from learning who is using more than their share.

In the early 1990s, the Seattle area went through a drought. (Insert rain joke here.) The Seattle Times went over water records and found the top 10 water wasters. One of them lived down the street from Dome, and after the story came out he stopped watering his lawn quite so much.

So: Make water use a public record. This is one area where sunshine will actually help in the drought.

Previously: Sponsor a conservation competition. Subsidize front-loading washing machines. Grow a drought beard.

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Dry Idea No. 4