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An extended drought, would play havoc, on the already reduced Pinyon Pine tree population.
Not on mention the extreme fire danger!!
As long as it doesn't come down in Biblical proportions, we can deal with it.
I came across this interesting 4-year-old thread while researching the current NM drought. Did the current one begin anew, or did the same drought continue and worsen?
In my research I found that ABQ's water rates are relatively low. Seattle's and San Diego's are the highest. ABQ and Sante Fe might get water cheaply from the San Juan-Chama project in the long run.
If the drought worsened and became the norm, I suspect people could cut back a lot further than they have. 100 gallons a day per capita, which Sante Fe uses, still seems like a lot. Cities/states needn't always grow in population either.
If the drought worsened and became the norm, I suspect people could cut back a lot further than they have. 100 gallons a day per capita, which Sante Fe uses, still seems like a lot. Cities/states needn't always grow in population either.
Realistically, why would people cut back their use or waste? If it's there, they will use it. When it get expensive, they may cut back a bit,
Quote:
The NOAA National Climatic Data Center reports that the first seven months of 2011 have been the driest start to any year on record for New Mexico. The statewide average precipitation has only been 42 percent of normal through July 2011.
Moved here about 18 months ago and considered the water situation a calculated risk. We expect water to become more scarce and expensive over time. That said, there is fairly outrageous waste of water that really cannot continue long term. Things like lawns fed by depleting aquifers, estate home with absentee owners with $$$ landscape water bills. NM will either provide water to those who can pay the most or create a more progressive model that conserves the resource for all. Wasting water on landscape will take care of itself. The more difficult issue is use of water to fuel growth...when Phoenix starts to depopulate we will have the answer.
Realistically, why would people cut back their use or waste? If it's there, they will use it. When it get expensive, they may cut back a bit,
Yep. If people are wasting water, the solution is a base rate for basic usage, with exponentially increasing pricing beyond that. It could be that NM's (and AZ's) lack of water problem could vanish with different pricing.
Hopefully the current drought in NM isn't the new normal.
We have to haul our water. We use maybe 250 gals. / week. When you haul your own water you learn how to conserve it.
HW
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