vision2020
Re: Moscow's water policy
Priscilla-
I think that the best approach to the City's water issues is an integrated
policy that makes use of many of the points you've made. Public education
is an essential component of any water policy the City may choose.
Potable water should be available for all residents, by some means that is
not dependent on ability to pay high water rates. This could be
accomplished with a tiered system where an initial quantity of residential
water use each month is set at one price and water use that goes over the
suggested "basic water needs" amount is set at a higher level.
However, I don't think that the City should rely on water rates alone. Just
because someone has an ability to pay for excessive water use, doesn't mean
they should be able to avoid conserving water, putting future generations at
risk for having even their basic water needs met.
To encourage water conservation, I think several things could be done. One
is to use tiered sewer rates (in addition to tiered water rates) to
encourage development of gray water systems and other water-saving measures.
Right now, all single family residents pay the same rate for sewer usage,
even though some people use it a lot less than others. Residents who are
conserving water right now pay the same sewer rates as their neighbor who
could be sending five times as much water through the sewers. The City
could encourage use of gray water systems by hosting a community workshop to
answer resident's questions. How much does it cost? What do I have to do
to install one? Can I use it seasonally? The systems are probably somewhat
costly to install, but if a homeowner's investment is matched by a decrease
in their sewer rates, because they aren't using the sewer system as much,
then homeowners might be more likely to put out the money for the gray water
system in the first place. Retrofitting current homes is probably more
costly than installing gray water systems in new homes. Perhaps there could
be incentives for contractors building new homes to install gray water
systems? Could there be incentives on state tax returns?
Rather than focusing only on efficient irrigation (through use of nighttime
watering and soaker hoses, etc.), the City could encourage xeriscaping or
native plant use, minimizing the use for water in the first place. The City
could design a xeriscaped city park, used as a beautiful model of how to use
various methods for reducing water use while retaining an aesthetically
pleasing park. In Fargo, N.D., there is a beautiful xeriscape garden in
front of the sewer treatment plant, where residents can stroll, looking at
plants and landscape ideas, taking a brochure home with them when they
leave. The City could also make some small grants available to a number of
highly visible lawns around Moscow, so that residents could turn their own
front yards into xeriscape gardens for others to view as they walk through
their neighborhoods.
The City has a chance to do the right thing here, starting with City owned
properties and showing residents that it is possible to have beautiful yards
without a lot of water use.
Pam Palmer
Moscow
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