LETTER

Time to meter water use?

 

Mr Ryan’s editorial (13 June 2018) expresses annoyance with people who waste water and seems convinced that the solution lies in greater awareness, which “has to be taught, with constant refresher-messaging”. To that end, he would have governments (municipal and provincial) be “proactive ... using all the relevant media to make sure everyone gets the message”. Experience tells us that doesn’t work as well as we’d like because, as the saying goes: There are none so blind, as those who will not see.

A more effective way of instilling responsibility, in matters of this type, might just be the approach we use for electricity: user/pay. If we keep track of everyone’s use of electricity and charge them accordingly, why wouldn’t we do likewise for water? We can’t afford to allow politicians to dismiss this possibility as a non-starter; we’re wasting too much water and too much money. It’s an idea that deserves serious consideration.                             

Ronald Lefebvre
Aylmer