Water bills go up

[Will E Worm]

Water bills go up in down economy as usage drops

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The grim economy is hitting some consumers in the wallet in yet another way: their water bills.

Many water utilities are raising rates because water use is down, in part because manufacturers have closed or are cutting back, tourism has fallen and the real estate market is in the doldrums.

Water sales for the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport & Wells Water District in southern Maine fell 11 percent last year, to 1995 levels. The No. 1 reason is the sour economy, said superintendent Norm Labbe.

One of the utility's largest customers, a catalog printer, shut its doors last year, putting 374 people out of work. Tourism also has been down - meaning fewer tourists are taking showers and flushing toilets in the motels in the region's beachside communities.

"This is happening most everywhere. It's a regional thing, it's a national thing," Labbe said. "Many, many (water utilities) around the country are seeing decreases in revenues. Because if industry goes down, revenues go down."

A recent study by the Water Research Foundation, a Denver-based nonprofit, on the recession's impact on water utilities found that home foreclosures and business contractions have reduced water demand in many areas. Cities with high unemployment also have seen reduced water consumption as people move away in search of jobs, said Rob Renner, the foundation's executive director.

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Supply and demand. Raising prices for less demand?

Buy a barrel and filter rain water and put them out of business. :hatsoff:

 

[darkwarrior3007]

Buy a barrel and filter rain water and put them out of business. :hatsoff:

No, that's how you get mosquitoes!:tongue:

 

[Will E Worm]

No, that's how you get mosquitoes!:tongue:

Not if you have the barrels covered correctly. :tongue:

There are many ways to do this.

Here's one. :hatsoff:

 

[Bearded_Menace]

Water bill? Man, have any of you checked out your electric bills as of late? Mine went up by 40% for no fucking reason. No one was even at my house for a whole week last month. Talk about a fuckin rip!!

 

[maildude]

I drink more water than any living mortal.

 

[marquis2]

Article

Supply and demand. Raising prices for less demand?

Buy a barrel and filter rain water and put them out of business. :hatsoff:

If you collect rainwater in the UK you still have to pay your water bills , if you have a meter fitted you'll pay less but still have to pay the disposal and drainage charges.

 

[Red Spyder]

Water bill? Man, have any of you checked out your electric bills as of late? Mine went up by 40% for no fucking reason. No one was even at my house for a whole week last month. Talk about a fuckin rip!!

And just wait for Cap and Tax to get enacted, your bill now will seem like a bargain.

And to Wil's actually pretty good idea thumbsup about using rain water, if we were to all do that to put them out of business then they'll just raise the fees due to lack of revenue so running your tap or flushing the toilet would cost a lot more.

 

[LukeEl]

You'd think with all the rain we had in New England back in March the prices would be low, huh go figure.