The Hook - LETTER- New reservoir would waste water

Search SiteWebBizes

April 2009

Click for Charlottesville, Virginia Forecast

Subscribe to the Issue.
emailIcon

Subscribe to the blog.

by J.A. Barker published on 4/23/2009 in the Letters category

by J.A. Barker

published on 4/23/2009

in the Letters category

Email this Story

Print this Story

Write a letter to the Editor

LETTER- New reservoir would waste water

By J.A. BARKER
Published April 23, 2009 in issue 0816 of the Hook

In her letter, ["Give thanks for higher water rates," April 9], Diane LaSauce welcomes the higher price for water that she claims is "the only way to draw attention to water conservation."

Ms. LaSauce is confusing cause and effect. It has been reported in the Hook and elsewhere that calls for voluntary conservation were heeded so well that higher rates were needed to break even, according to water officials. The conservation is pushing up the price of water, not the reverse.

Yes, water is a precious resource where demand exceeds supply, but that is not the case here. Of course we should use it wisely. Area residents will be overpaying for an oversupply if both projects are undertaken to expand the Ragged Mountain Reservoir and dredge the Rivanna Reservoir, either one of which would be adequate.

Impounding too much of it wastes water by evaporation, wastes dollars, and destroys forest habitat.

J.A. Barker
Charlottesville

AMEN posted by Cville Eye at 4/26/2009 7:20:53 PM
Disagree...not expanding the RM Reservoir could put the community at risk of not having enough water in the future. Take your pick...preserving a small piece of land (that was intended for water storage, not as "nature preserve"), or having enough water for future residents. posted by Ohsamiam at 4/26/2009 8:24:48 PM
Seems to me that if god had intended a small piece of land for water storage, that he/she would have put a lake there. Instead, nature was put there. Seems like us mortals ought to leave well enough alone wouldn't you say? posted by observince at 4/27/2009 1:32:46 AM
"small piece of land intended for water storage" 100 years ago and never intended for the growing population of Charlottesville since this small reservoir has no natural water supply. This plan was concocted by the Nature Conservancy with no respect for cost, or environmental damage to the Ragged Mt Natural Area (54,000 trees), or to the Rivanna River below the South Fork Dam. We will have plenty of water by dredging and looking at the real water use which has dropped dramatically since the consultants calculated it and is the reason our rates are rising as the letter writer accurately portrays. Tell the RWSA to stop stalling and start dredging it costs less and is the least environmentally damagaing option to immediately increase our water supply now and for decades to come posted by Rate Payer at 4/27/2009 7:14:17 AM

AMEN

posted by Cville Eye at 4/26/2009 7:20:53 PM

Disagree...not expanding the RM Reservoir could put the community at risk of not having enough water in the future. Take your pick...preserving a small piece of land (that was intended for water storage, not as "nature preserve"), or having enough water for future residents.

posted by Ohsamiam at 4/26/2009 8:24:48 PM

Seems to me that if god had intended a small piece of land for water storage, that he/she would have put a lake there. Instead, nature was put there. Seems like us mortals ought to leave well enough alone wouldn't you say?

posted by observince at 4/27/2009 1:32:46 AM

"small piece of land intended for water storage" 100 years ago and never intended for the growing population of Charlottesville since this small reservoir has no natural water supply. This plan was concocted by the Nature Conservancy with no respect for cost, or environmental damage to the Ragged Mt Natural Area (54,000 trees), or to the Rivanna River below the South Fork Dam. We will have plenty of water by dredging and looking at the real water use which has dropped dramatically since the consultants calculated it and is the reason our rates are rising as the letter writer accurately portrays.

Tell the RWSA to stop stalling and start dredging it costs less and is the least environmentally damagaing option to immediately increase our water supply now and for decades to come

posted by Rate Payer at 4/27/2009 7:14:17 AM

Your Name:
Your Email (optional):
Comment:		Word Count: 0 500 word limit
Image Verification:
Please type the letters above:

	* People say the darndest things, but if they use language stronger than "darn," if they use ethnically or racially disparaging language, or start comparing people to Hitler, they may find that we've deleted the comment. Ditto for most unverified information, potentially libelous statements, and anything off the topic.