Double Digit Water Rates Continue

Water rates continue to rise.  Lake Tahoe and Clovis, New Mexico lead the current list of large increases at 70% and 65% respectively.

Water has been way too inexpensive for way too long.  But the days of cheap water are ending due to multiple pressures: population growth in areas of little rain or natural water sources (i.e. Phoenix, Las Vegas, Albuquerque); natural drought cycles (i.e. Atlanta, California); and our aging and decaying water infrastructure, 
The bad thing is that rates will continue to increase whether we conserve or not.  If we don't conserve rates will just escalate faster as cities and towns try to solve the ever increasing demand for water by either drilling deeper and deeper more costly wells or by building piping systems to haul water from far away places (e.g. Las Vegas, NV). These both will ensure water price increases for the foreseeable future not just due to the costs of the projects, but also due to the rising rate of electricity which they require.

Even in these harsh economic times, local companies and politicians are approving double digit water rate increases.  That they are willing to do this during these times, shows the real extent of the problem. 

See a small sample of these rate increases for the last few months:

• Sample of May 2010 Water Rate Increases
• Sample of March 2010 Water Rate Increases
• Sample of January 2010 Water Rate Increases
  

The good thing about these increases is that they will drive more and more installations of rainwater catchment.  Money talks and the pain of paying high monthly water bills will drive individuals to consider other alternatives.  It did for me.  I installed my first system due to rising rates over a decade ago when my water bill started hitting $100 a month.  The payback was long then, but has declined substantially since then due to rising water rates.

Today, installing some type of rainwater catchment system, either passive or active, is starting to just make good economic sense!