01-13-2010, 06:03 PM
It doesn't have to be interpreted as "let them eat cake" although I can see how it might seem that way. I mean that those who make public policy should not reward shortsightedness or unsustainability. The water itself may be free but the infrastructure is not. I know a guy who has worked hard all his life and has built his own house. It is little more than a glorified ag building and for several months he lived in it with plastic tarps for a roof. He had another property that he sold to get the money for the roof. It is not finished inside but it has working plumbing and a shower. Nevertheless he has expressed relief and even satisfaction with it and with the fact that he has a roof over his head. It is very much his castle. He collects water a few gallons at a time from the county spigots for drinking. Catchment supplies his bathing needs and when the water is running low he bathes quickly or skips a day. He makes it last, makes it work. What I mean is that it is difficult to reconcile his example with that of people who are totally dependent for all their water needs on the county spigots that were installed as an emergency back-up, not to allow families to forgo proper planning or construction.