4 ms·

Do ordinary homeowners ever pay for guaranteed access to water? Surely not, right?

lokar 1y ago
Yes, in a way. They live within the bounds of a water district, which itself has water rights. These districts limit use (or the growth in use) by passing rules on the use (limiting the watering of grass, for example), or (fairly often in some places) limiting new service hookups. They won't let you connect if they don't think they can secure the supply long term.
barbazoo 1y ago
Nothing is "guaranteed", so no. People usually congregate where resources exist, that's often why towns are where they are, near water for example. Where I live for example, freshwater comes from a pretty stable water source. Paying the municipality to operate and maintain that is as close to "guaranteed" as it gets probably. Once the circumstances change, we'll have to adapt.
- lokar 1y ago
  Water law in the US southwest is wild. The right to flows of water, into the future, is treated as a private property right and is bought and sold. Municipal water systems normally acquire the rights (and arrange transport).
qwertylicious 1y ago
As a homeowner I literally pay a fee every month to fund the construction and maintenance of the infrastructure that gets water to my home. If that water supply is cut off without valid reason, there is a complaint mechanism with the local utility commission where the issue can be heard and resolved. I also live in the municipality where my water is supplied, and therefore am represented by its government. Therefore I am both economically and politically invested in that infrastructure. Unfortunately none of this is true for the folks in this article. Is that a "guarantee"? No. Nothing is guaranteed. But it's far better than the arrangement these folks operated under.
- darth_avocado 1y ago
  The arrangement they had with the town was closer to buying water at a gas station. You sort of assume it’s always going to be there, but one day it wasn’t because they stopped selling it.

Yes, in a way. They live within the bounds of a water district, which itself has water rights. These districts limit use (or the growth in use) by passing rules on the use (limiting the watering of grass, for example), or (fairly often in some places) limiting new service hookups. They won't let you connect if they don't think they can secure the supply long term.

barbazoo 1y ago

Nothing is "guaranteed", so no. People usually congregate where resources exist, that's often why towns are where they are, near water for example. Where I live for example, freshwater comes from a pretty stable water source. Paying the municipality to operate and maintain that is as close to "guaranteed" as it gets probably. Once the circumstances change, we'll have to adapt.

lokar 1y ago
Water law in the US southwest is wild. The right to flows of water, into the future, is treated as a private property right and is bought and sold. Municipal water systems normally acquire the rights (and arrange transport).

qwertylicious 1y ago

As a homeowner I literally pay a fee every month to fund the construction and maintenance of the infrastructure that gets water to my home. If that water supply is cut off without valid reason, there is a complaint mechanism with the local utility commission where the issue can be heard and resolved. I also live in the municipality where my water is supplied, and therefore am represented by its government. Therefore I am both economically and politically invested in that infrastructure. Unfortunately none of this is true for the folks in this article. Is that a "guarantee"? No. Nothing is guaranteed. But it's far better than the arrangement these folks operated under.

darth_avocado 1y ago
The arrangement they had with the town was closer to buying water at a gas station. You sort of assume it’s always going to be there, but one day it wasn’t because they stopped selling it.