Bill 189 restricts water use in times of need.

[Bob Orts]

An alternative suggestion being proposed to Civil Defense is installing locked guards on the spigots. Since the spigots were never intended to supply people with everyday household or commercial water, lock them up until needed.

If people need water and no municipal water lines are available, do like millions of people all over the US do, drill a well, find a way to capture rain water, move next to a stream, or buy water from commercial sources.

KathyH’s comments are correct.

Once again, this Bill only is about the rationing of water during a declared emergency. There is no Bill to limit water at the spigots when an emergency has not been declared.
(this is the forced vaccines discussion all over again except replace vaccines with water)

[Rob Tucker]

It would seem a bit draconian for water, which in Puna at least is abundant, to be treated as a proprietary commodity worthy of locks and guards. The question arises: Who owns the water? The government or the people or no one?

So far the CoH has treated water as a community resource. The delivery systems as proprietary.

[808blogger]

This has nothing to do with anything people are commenting on in my opinions.
First:
I suggested that parking meters be installed so that a quarter could purchase sufficient time to fill 100 gallon tank.

I almost fell out of my chair after reading this. I would LOVE this, I would LOVE to see this enforced. you want to see a real waste of resources! LOL enforcing "parking meters" at the water spigots LOL!!!!!

IMHO, this is just a "setup" so that county can have already claimed right to restrict the water at those spigots in an "emergency" . Restriction and laws prepping for restriction are always done under the guise of "emergency". This is just to get more rules on the books.

However.... nobody says you have to take their water..

atleast there is no fluoride added to the county water supply (NOT like they didnt try that also tho)

[Rob Tucker]

I figured someone would fall out of their chair...

but I would not like to see farmers essentially banned from water locations.

Civil Defense just called and says they are looking at the possibility to raise the container restriction in Bill 189 from 55 gallons to 250 gallons. 250 gallons x 8 lbs per gallons = 1 ton, about max out for a pick up truck.

A much better compromise which would meet the needs of farmers better.

[Obie]

I figured if anyone ever put in money in,someone else would see it and steal the meter.

[Obie]

So what did the farmers do before the spigots were installed ?

I don't know of anywhere else in the US where water is supplied free to farmers or anyone else for that matter.

[Rob Tucker]

To a degree the issue of water availability is a FEMA issue. FEMA apparently expects localities that benefit from FEMA to maintain a minimum ability to deliver one gallon per person, per day.

The water spigots as currently designed have been in place (most of them) since 1988.

I'm not quite sure Obie that hauling your own water can be described as "free". The county basically states that the water is free, what they have to charge for is the delivery system. If you are taking the time to employ a vehicle and fuel to haul your own water you are basically providing your own water delivery system. The commercial haulers apparently pay about 25 cents per 100 gallons (to use the overhead spigots) but the water is free. It all falls from the sky.

[808blogger]

FEMA? ROB, are you coming on to my team?

[Greg]

The public spigots were originally set up for other reasons besides a scarcity of water (Draught). They were primarily put in place because of the poor and sometimes dangerous quality of the water in many houshold catchment tanks. Acidic debris from the volcano washes down the roof, gutters and pipes to the catchment tank. The roofing material, flashing, nails, etc were breaking down and adding toxic substances to peoples water, making it unsafe to drink.

Most people use county's water for drinking, and rely on their catchment for washing, animal care, etc. If people are abusing the system, find a way to deal with it that doesn't endanger children, or economically challenged folk.

It's easy to say "dig a well", or the "technology is available to purify catchment water"; But tell that to tutu on a fixed income in a 60 year old home, or other working poor that may be one check away from being homeless.

This water costs the County very little in proportion to it's benefit to those of us who aren't in a position for an upgrade.

I'd gladly find some way to come up with three thousand bucks for a meter and pay for safe water, but it's not going to happen. I live Puna. I think I have as much right to safe water (especially when billions of gallons drain into the ocean) as Hilo residents have a right to flood control. After all, they knew they were buying in a flood plain, right?

Stoneface

[Rob Tucker]

Greg, I could not and did not say it better.