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Good old tap water still a bargain
(by Barbara Christian - December 09, 2010)
WINDOW ON MAIN STREET, BY BARBARA CHRISTIAN
Good old tap water still a bargain
Chagrin Falls water rates are rising by 12 percent and sewer costs another 10 percent.
Translated, that means the $5.52 per 100 cubic feet of water customers are paying now will go to $6.18. Sewer rates, currently $5.35 per 100 cubic feet, will be $5.88. Customers outside the village will still pay the 25 percent additional charge, which helps reimburse village taxpayers for system improvements.
So far, so good. As of this writing, no angry torch-carrying crowds have marched on Village Hall. If you are tempted to do so, consider the fact that the Chagrin Falls water and sewer utility is not run by a hedge-fund manager. It is designed to be a nonprofit, break-even proposition.
Interestingly, the rate hikes fly in the face of that long-held economic theory of supply and demand. When demand is high, prices rise, and when demand is low, prices drop. But in the Chagrin Falls water and sewer situation, you can flush supply and demand.
Village Administrator Ben Himes says the water department has seen a 3.5 percent decrease in consumption each year for five years. The thing is, no matter how much or how little H2O runs through our meters and out through the sewer system, the expense of operating the utility is not stagnant.
There are employees to pay, repair and operating costs and the unknown increase for Cleveland water that Chagrin buys to supplement its supply.
So, here's a thought. If we are paying more for less water, maybe we could pay less if we use more. Let's start by dumping our beloved bottled water and replacing it with Chagrin Falls tap water.
Those of us who may be into bottled water as a status symbol might consider filling one of the fancy brand bottles with the Chagrin Falls stuff. Ben tells us most bottled water come from a tap someplace anyway.
Some of us may buy bottled water because we are paranoid about local water being tainted or because it tastes funny.
No matter how you feel about government regulations, just know that the water that runs through the Chagrin Falls system is highly regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, Ben says. Water utilities like Chagrin's are required to meet high standards for testing and system operations. Their operators must pass a licensing test and take ongoing education courses. Bottled water, on the other hand, is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is less rigorous.
If the "local water" thing still bothers you, Ben suggests installing a carbon filter on your drinking faucet. You can remove lingering chlorine taste by filling a jar with tap water, covering it and storing it in the fridge for a day or two before using.
Then there are the environmental factors associated with bottled water, Ben says. USA Today reported that plastic water bottles produced for U.S. consumption take 1.5 million barrels of oil a year, which is enough energy to power 250,000 homes or fuel 100,000 cars for a year. Yikes!
Here's the corker: For the cost of an average bottle of water, you can have 200 gallons of tap water.
So there you have it. None of us likes paying more for anything, but it's worth it to know that good water is there when we need it and that it's dealt with in an environmentally conscious way.
So douse those torches, lose the water bottles and raise a glass -- of good old Chagrin Falls H2O, of course.
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