In the past two years alone, water rates in the US have gone up by a whopping 18% in the major metro areas (in contrast, our incomes actually declined over the same period, ouch!).
We can expect that to continue. Water costs have been increasing faster than all other utilities for some time.
Unfortunately, it’s likely to get more expensive even faster in the near future. Why? The water infrastructure that many of us rely upon is getting old and it’s going to be hard to replace it.
That’s going to be particularly tough to do now that the US government is in a fiscal crisis. Here’s an example that shows why.
Let’s look at what a family of four using 150 gallons of water per day per person pays:
- $100 a month in Boston
- $55 a month in Phoenix or Las Vegas
- $240 a month Santa Fe (New Mexico)
Why does the family in Boston pay twice as much even though they get TEN times the rainfall every year the same family in Phoenix or Las Vegas would get?
The easy answer is: the Federal government paid for the water infrastructure Las Vegas and Phoenix are using. If they didn’t, these cities would be paying rates similar to what we see in Sante Fe, nearly four times as much.
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So, what does all of this mean?
Nothing, for you and your family, if you make smart choices today. What is the smart choice?
The answer is to install a rainwater harvesting system.
In short, turn your home and your community into a place that produces all of the water that you need.
Resiliently Yours,
JOHN ROBB
