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slowpoke_gardener

Water restrictions

slowpoke_gardener
10 years ago

While writing a check to pay the water bill I noticed that we are under Phase two water restrictions. Which means we can water every other day with hand held device only. (next phase is no outside watering at all) This seems strange being that I have been wading mud most of the winter. I cant even get to the meter to read the usage.

My garden is my only hobby and I dont plan on giving it up till I have to. If it ever dries up enough to get a drilling rig in here I may be having a hole punched in the northeast corner of my lawn.

I think the overall plan of the water company is to add all the customers they can and then raise the rated because of water shortages.

Comments (4)

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    10 years ago

    I'm guessing that they don't lift the Phase II restrictions until something happens....and what that something would be would depend on their water source. If it is ground water, they may wait until the aquifer is back to a certain depth before removing the restrictions. If it is a reservoir, it may be the same type of thing....that the reservoir has to reach a certain depth of impounded water before they lift restrictions.

    I cannot complain about our water co-op. I've seen people's plans to move here and build a house be put on hold because the water co-op was not accepting new customers until they could drill a new well and increase their capacity....and that period lasted a couple of years. I appreciate belonging to a water co-op that will not accept more customers than its' system can handle.

    The last couple of folks who tried to have wells drilled in our neighborhood came up with nothing but dry holes (and they had an extremely knowledgeable water well driller who has been in that line of work here his whole life---if he can't find the water, it isn't there to be found), so I think the aquifer here has dropped a lot lower than it used to be. When our springs stopped running and our spring-fed pond dried up, I knew that things were changing here in terms of the depth of the ground water. It is hard now to remember that for years and years our pond never dried up and had a healthy fish population. Not only does the pond not have fish in it any more, it stays dry 9 or 10 months out of the year. The stupid fishing dock looks ridiculous sitting there with no water for most of the year....I want to tear it down and reuse that expensive pressure-treated lumber for something else because I don't think we'll ever have enough water to have a fishing pond again.

  • slowpoke_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Dawn, I have not seen the lake, but I have seen the drawing of the pressent lake, and of the proposed lake. This has been almost 10 years ago. I even went to the water dept. and expressed my concerns before I put this house here. I was told that there would never be a water shortage and that they were ready to start on the new lake at any time, as far as I know no dirt has been moved yet. The water company is even running lines to other town. In some cases the other town could buy water cheaper than we could. I think some of the shady actions have stopped because of such a stink.

    I am in favor of everone having good water, but if you already have the land, the plan, and the need, someone needs to get off their duff and start pushing dirt, a lake cant be built over night, and if you cant supply the customers you already have then you should stop adding customers untill those needs can be met.

    P.O.ed Larry

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    10 years ago

    Larry,

    I completely understand where you're coming from.

    Down here in southern OK I believe we have adequate water for our own needs, although of course the years of persistent drought do cause some water companies (not ours) to implement water conservation plans (i.e. watering restrictions) at times. Our problem is Texas, and it pains me, a native Texan, to say that.

    Down in Texas, it has been a long time since a new lake was built to impound water for the use of the citizens of Texas. Lots of water districts in North Texas have been trying to get their hands on Oklahoma's water, particularly in southern OK along and near the Red River. Apparently it is cheaper for them to sue various entities in OK who refuse to allow them to buy our water than it is for them to put their money into building more lakes. It makes me crazy that they are trying to sue in order to force us to sell water to them. I just wish they'd build their own lakes and leave our water alone.

    Dawn

  • slowpoke_gardener
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Dawn, it seem hard to believe but there was a push up here some years ago to sell water to Texas. Western Ar. and eastern OK. have wonderfull areas to build lakes, but the enviormental people fight daming up streams and rivers. I dont fault anyone involved because everyone needs water.

    I expect the plan here has been to use the allotted money for the lake construction to run water lines, knowing that when people start running low on water they will vote in any kind of deal to get the lake constructed. I get a little hacked off when I see all the politics involved.

    If I can get a well I will be able to tell them to go kiss my green garden.

    Larry

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