Every year, and really every day if you care to look for the information, someone somewhere is dealing with a major water shortage. The most high profile city to go through a major drought thus far has been Cape Town, in South Africa, where a seemingly modern and major city almost lost access to all running water. That raised the alarm bell to cities across the world, but of course did not solve our water issues.
Currently, a large number of states in the western U.S. get the majority of their water from the same source — the Colorado River. Supply often gets to dangerously low levels and droughts have at times caused many areas to issue water usage limits and sanctions. However, our past few years and the science shows that our water supply is not a temporary concern. So the question is, would you support permanent limits on water use for things like landscaping or higher-cost penalties for high water usage as a means to conserve water on a regular basis? Is this an over-step or is conserving water enough of a priority to the common good to justify higher rates on those who use extravagantly?
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