4 ms·

Sounds risky. Actively betting against RO not getting more efficient before water supplies dwindle down to the level mentioned in the comment

oh_sigh 3y ago
Also betting that municipalities can't/won't just pull an eminent domain to regain access to the water. Honestly it sounds like a conspiracy theory to me. I'm sure companies are buying rights to water, but I suspect it's for straightforward near term interests, like, say, Poland Spring's owners buying water rights so they can sell bottles of water - not because they think they will be our overlords in 20 years or whatever.
- melagonster 3y ago
  in another side, this same as people/companies spending money in real estate market, they trust they can earn money in future.
- throwawaaarrgh 3y ago
  You underestimate the power of corporations, and the logistical and political difficulty of supplanting them. I receive internal company newsletters that talk about the need to get more water contracts due to climate change and the opportunities/competition ahead. It's not conspiracy, it's commerce. Like real estate, you buy it now when it's cheap because you predict it'll be worth a fortune in a decade or two.
  - snowwrestler 3y ago
    What’s the name of the company? Contracts with whom?
- demondemidi 3y ago
  > not because they think they will be our overlords in 20 years or whatever. Isn’t that what fruit companies like delmonte did to Central America in the mid 20th century? Seizing all of the farmland with the support of the government to grow fruit for Americans?
  - knightofmars 3y ago
    The CIA worked to overthrow the democratically elected government of Guatemala to protect the interests of United Fruit Company (now Chiquita Banana). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Fruit_Company https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Fruit_Company
- quickthrowman 3y ago
  > Also betting that municipalities can't/won't just pull an eminent domain to regain access to the water. They can’t just seize the water rights, they would have to purchase them at fair market value. Land with perpetual water rights happen to be worth *a lot* of money, which is why there haven’t been more government entities buying out current holders of water rights.
  - oh_sigh 3y ago
    Step 1: Announce water rights will soon be eminent-domained Step 2: Let market for these properties crash Step 3: Buy at FMV
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]

oh_sigh 3y ago

Also betting that municipalities can't/won't just pull an eminent domain to regain access to the water. Honestly it sounds like a conspiracy theory to me. I'm sure companies are buying rights to water, but I suspect it's for straightforward near term interests, like, say, Poland Spring's owners buying water rights so they can sell bottles of water - not because they think they will be our overlords in 20 years or whatever.

melagonster 3y ago
in another side, this same as people/companies spending money in real estate market, they trust they can earn money in future.
throwawaaarrgh 3y ago
You underestimate the power of corporations, and the logistical and political difficulty of supplanting them. I receive internal company newsletters that talk about the need to get more water contracts due to climate change and the opportunities/competition ahead. It's not conspiracy, it's commerce. Like real estate, you buy it now when it's cheap because you predict it'll be worth a fortune in a decade or two.
- snowwrestler 3y ago
  What’s the name of the company? Contracts with whom?
demondemidi 3y ago
> not because they think they will be our overlords in 20 years or whatever. Isn’t that what fruit companies like delmonte did to Central America in the mid 20th century? Seizing all of the farmland with the support of the government to grow fruit for Americans?
- knightofmars 3y ago
  The CIA worked to overthrow the democratically elected government of Guatemala to protect the interests of United Fruit Company (now Chiquita Banana). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Fruit_Company https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Fruit_Company
quickthrowman 3y ago
> Also betting that municipalities can't/won't just pull an eminent domain to regain access to the water. They can’t just seize the water rights, they would have to purchase them at fair market value. Land with perpetual water rights happen to be worth *a lot* of money, which is why there haven’t been more government entities buying out current holders of water rights.
- oh_sigh 3y ago
  Step 1: Announce water rights will soon be eminent-domained Step 2: Let market for these properties crash Step 3: Buy at FMV
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]