I live in Portland, OR and the State is feeling the drought, too! Yet, according to a July 29, 2015 article in Willamette Week entitled “Hydro Hogs” (wweek.com Vol. 41/39) that lists Portland’s 16 biggest water users who keep on guzzling despite the drought, there are four private residences that consume at least 1,000,000 gallons of water annually, with the remaining 12 not far behind! Looking at the aerial shots of these homes it is clear the lush, expansive lawns and private swimming pools account for this abusive overconsumption.
Yet according to the prices paid for this water, it appears these home owners pay the same per gallon cost from first gallon to last.
I don’t know why a progressive billing system, one in which the cost of a gallon rises according to the level of consumption used, is not enacted and employed immediately? For example, the average water use for the typical home is 44,800 gals/year according to the article. Water usage up to that level would charged at an entry level and would be billed accordingly at an per-gallon cost per gallon consumed. Exceeding that level of usage would be charged at a progressively higher rate, say two-times the entry level rates. Once an additional amount was consumed beyond one-half of the entry level consumption plus the entry level consumption (44,800+22,400 or 63,000 gals.) the rate charged per additional gallon would again be doubled and the amount of water halved. And so on…
Such a progressive system would be equitable, enabling the best conservationists to consume the least, and be rewarded with the lowest bills. Yet people who feel entitled to consume at will (I.e. those who feel they have the money to pay for their excessive consumption) will be able to continue to consume as they choose! But they, in turn, will be punished with progressively higher water bills that reflect their consumption.
If such a system were enacted we would see how many lawns would be replaced with natural growth, and how many private swimming pools drained in lieu of community swimming pools!