Atlanta Collar Counties Getting Serious On Water Use
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.15.07
This took awhile; but, Atlanta's suburbs at last seem headed in the right direction, considering, for example, ordinances that favor more water efficient toilets.
Unfortunately, local officials seem not to have discovered, yet, the nearby presence of the worlds largest potty (pictured). One thing at at time.
Dekalb County Commissioners will take up CEO Vernon Jones' desire to require homes built before 1993 to install low-flow bathroom fixtures before they can be resold. Jones also wants stricter penalties for outdoor water violators: a written warning for the first offense, followed by a $250 fine on the second, $500 on the third and service cutoff following a fourth violation.Gwinnett County Commissioners will consider tougher fines, including up to a $1,000 penalty for repeat offenders and doubling the water rate for large users who don't reduce consumption by 10 percent. They'll also discuss a rebate of up to $100 per toilet for customers who replace older models with low-flow commodes. The new measures would also ban commercial pressure washing and car washing that doesn't use recycled water as well as reduce the time landscapers will be allowed to water new lawns.
Cobb County Commissioners, who passed a rebate incentive for low-flow home plumbing a couple of weeks ago, will look to their own government toilets. They'll consider spending $250,000 to replace more than 500 toilets and urinals in 77 public buildings with low-flow models. The measure hopes to cut the county government's own water use by 60 percent.
Let's hope the water company is keeping close tabs on water consumption and will later publish a chart showing whether these measures actually have a beneficial effect.
Via:11 Alive, Drought Watch, "More Drought Rules Expected Today", Image credit::The Register, "US lifts lid on world's largest toilet"
I don't understand things like low-flow showerheads and toilets. What's the point of them when the governor's already prayed for rain?
Maybe all the areas suffering from a drought should try this, good post, keep up the good work.
I think people will only realize that water is a precious resource if they have to pay a high price for it. I live in a drought area, too, and my neighbors are still watering the sidewalk every day with their sprinklers. So I guess my point is: Water should be way more expensive than it is now.
I am collecting particularly impressive / ridiculous examples of wastefulness on my blog, so check out ecomorons.org if you're interested!
Is it just me, but doesn't the top of the large building look like a toilet seat?
Ironic don't you think!
Ina is right, you have to double rates for every 10,000 gallons, that way the guy who used 440k gallons pays $45k or so. I bet he pulls his head out fast in that event.
What is a Collar County? I think that's what we call Surrounding counties? Anyway, like your blog very much. Check out the worst water hog in Cobb County, where I live: www.wsbtv.com/drought/14545360/detail.html. Also, we are getting drought news from www.atlantawatershortage.com.
I just wrote a post about our water shortage: www.katherineskitchen.squarespace.com.
Katherine
What is a Collar County? I think that's what we call Surrounding counties? Anyway, like your blog very much. We are getting drought news from www.atlantawatershortage.com. I see you have featured Cobb County's worst water hog in another post.
I just wrote a post about our water shortage: www.katherineskitchen.squarespace.com.
Katherine
Low flow toilets are garbage.
What we need is a dual-flush mode toilet that uses a minimal flush for #1 and a robust flush for #2.
Because if you have to flush 3 times to remove the offending matter, what's the point? You've used way more water than an old toilet.
My question is why do all the concentrates have to be 2X, ultra, 3X Super? We don't need toxic chemical smells on our clothing! We just want something that smells non-chemical like lemon or cotton or fresh air...whatever happened to "fresh air"?
This will be doing P&G a big favor because they only want to sell super ultra concentrates to ruin your clothes. So then you can buy febreeze by )P&G to try to get that smell out... etc etc...