Report: Water Prices Rise Sharply Across America; Double and Triple in Some Locales
It’s often overlooked and taken for granted, but it’s the most essential of all human resources.
Water.
We’re paying 75% more for it today than we were in the year 2000.
According to a recent study by USA Today, which looked at 100 large municipalities across the country, the price increases over the last decade are so significant that many Americans are having to cut other expenses just to keep up:
…the cost of this necessity of life has outpaced the percentage increases of some of these other utilities, carving a larger slice of household budgets in the process.
“I don’t know how they expect people to keep paying more for water with the cost of gas and day care and everything else going up,” complains Jacquelyn Moncrief, 60, a Philadelphia homeowner who says the price hikes would force her to make food-or-water decisions. She gathered signatures on a petition opposing a proposed water rate increase in her city this year.
USA Today’s study of residential water rates over the past 12 years for large and small water agencies nationwide found that monthly costs doubled for more in 29 localities. The unique look at costs for a diverse mix of water suppliers representing every state and Washington, D.C. found that a resource long taken for granted will continue to become more costly for millions of Americans. Indeed, rates haven’t crested yet because huge costs to upgrade or repair pipes, reservoirs and treatment plants loom nationwide.
In three municipalities — Atlanta, San Francisco and Wilmington, Del. — water costs tripled or more.
Source: USA Today
According to the report, we can expect rates to continue to rise at a whopping 5% to 15% per year going forward, and for a variety of reasons.
The trend toward higher bills is being driven by:
- The cost of paying off the debt on bonds municipalities issue to fund expensive repairs or upgrades on aging water systems.
- Increases in the cost of electricity, chemicals and fuel used to supply and treat water.
- Compliance with federal government clean-water mandates.
- Rising pension and health care costs for water agency workers.
- Increased security safeguards for water systems since the 9/11 terror attacks
One critical aspect USA Today failed to mention as a reason for higher prices and the adverse effects on our purchasing power is, of course, monetary expansion over this same time period. While water prices are up in the high double digits over the last decade, the same cannot be said for Americans’ wages.
Taking that into consideration, we may well see rates go even higher than estimated.
Coupled with an ever expanding global population, the notion that countries will soon be fighting water wars over this critical resource is not out of the question.
The days of endless clean and cheap water are behind us.
AWD says:
This means it’s going to cost billions more in defense spending, because of waterboarding. When water prices triple, so do costs of waterboarding. I think we’d better raise taxes again to cover the expense.
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2nd October 2012 at 3:08 pm
TPC says:
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2nd October 2012 at 3:12 pm
TeresaE says:
My water comes from the Detroit water authority. Said authority has been investigated for fraud and corruption, many, many, many times. Nearly every mayor the city has had since the ’60s has instilled family members in lifelong appointments to this department.
In ’07-’08 we were hit with 25% increases because usage was DOWN. (amazing what happens when we slaughter those small businesses).
This year we were hit with a new “fixed” rate which equates to a 100% increase in our rates. For both my house and two meters at my business.
But these expenses don’t matter, just ask Timmy, or Nancy, or Georgie, or Barry, or Joey, or Mittens, or Paulie, or Benny.
All our benevolent betters say it so. So it must be true.
So it goes.
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2nd October 2012 at 3:28 pm
Stucky says:
“Jacquelyn Moncrief, 60, a Philadelphia homeowner who says the price hikes would force her to make food-or-water decisions” ….. USA Today
Oh puh-leeease!! GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK !!!!!!!!!!!!
How many thousands of people did that overpriced shitrag USA Today have to do before they found this moron? More likely, they just made that shit up.
Water or food?? Fuck you and your bullshit. Yes, the price of H2O has gone up … but it’s still pretty damn cheap …. and certainly no fuckin human, even a Free Shitter, has to choose between “food or water” in the USA. Go fuck yourself, liar.
Goddamn, this horseshit MSM crap gets more sickening by the minute.
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2nd October 2012 at 4:14 pm
Administrator says:
I received this email last night from our Operations dept at the school:
Multiple buildings across campus including all buildings in our complex are reporting brownish water in the restrooms. We are working with central facilities to determine the exact cause. As soon as we receive more information we will pass it along.
Here is the email we received today:
The Philadelphia Water Department responded last night and advised that the cause of the widespread complaints about water quality were caused by general pipe maintenance in the area. The issued cleared up at approx. 9 p.m. last evening.
Now I feel better.
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2nd October 2012 at 4:16 pm
Stucky says:
Jacquelyn Moncrief …. having enough food is the least of your problems!
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2nd October 2012 at 4:23 pm
KaD says:
And the thing that chaps my ass about water is how we’re required to waste it on pretty green lawns. I’m in the arid southwest. Why not let people plant something green that isn’t grass? Or xeriscape? Save the water for FOOD gardens. We’re going to need them.
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2nd October 2012 at 4:25 pm
AWD says:
“Rising pension and health care costs for water agency workers.”
Fuck their pensions and healthcare costs, and all government employees. When are people going to get tired of paying for these idiots? Fuck them and their pensions in the ear.
We’re surrounded by water for crissakes. 4/5 of the world is covered with water. Enough with the scarcity bullshit.
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2nd October 2012 at 4:38 pm
Stucky says:
That’s the first huge pic ever worth scrolling over for.
(If AWD ever comes to your home, give him some salt water … you know, the same water that covers 4/5 of the earth’s surface.)
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2nd October 2012 at 4:44 pm
AWD says:
Of course it’s salt water, same salinity as your blood. Pretty soon they’re going to start running articles about how much more expensive air is these days, because of rising pension costs for union government employees. Wake up, it’s all bullshit so they can keep getting raises, retire at 50, and have million dollar pensions. It’s called ‘disinformation”, designed to soften up taxpayers.
And, Stucky, you can post that picture of the leaning tower of blubber, but I post whale pictures and everyone rips me a new one?
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2nd October 2012 at 4:51 pm
IndenturedServant says:
Damn AWD, that was one yummy blond! I prefer brunettes but I’ll make an exception for her.
I_S
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2nd October 2012 at 4:59 pm
Stucky says:
“And, Stucky, you can post that picture of the leaning tower of blubber, but I post whale pictures and everyone rips me a new one?” —– AWD
It’s all in the TIMING, AWD. It’s all in the timing. (Besides that, she has bigger tits than your gal … and this is a Big Tits website!)
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2nd October 2012 at 5:03 pm
ecliptix543 says:
More of a leg man, myself…
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2nd October 2012 at 5:12 pm
Hope@ZeroKelvin says:
Just one more reason to have a well with generator back up.
And septic tanks, lol.
Seriously, guys, get the fuck out of the cities, or the suburbs. 3 days MAX you can survive without water, less if it is very hot or very cold.
GET OUT.
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2nd October 2012 at 5:13 pm
ThePessimisticChemist says:
Her eyes are amazing.
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2nd October 2012 at 6:13 pm
efarmer says:
AWD,
Please ask for permission before posting pics of my next wife.
Damn.
EF
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2nd October 2012 at 6:47 pm
Stucky says:
Attention TBPers!! I need your help.
Please scroll back to my Fat Girl pic …… and vote Thumbs Up.
I want my fatty to have more thumbs up than AWD’s hottie …… do it just to piss off AWD.
Thank Yeeew
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2nd October 2012 at 6:57 pm
SSS says:
Well, that didn’t take long. Water to a nice ass pic in the first comment (AWD, you could have made it a “twofer” had you also posted a wet t-shirt pic). Water to boobs in 8 comments.
“In ’07-’08 we were hit with 25% increases because usage was DOWN.”
TeresaE in Detroit
Same in Tucson. And its going up another 12% next year even though people are using far less water, and the amount of water in the underground aquifer (2nd largest in the U.S.) is increasing through recharging ponds. Since revenue is dropping at the water company, rates MUST go up. Insane. Another big cost factor is batshit crazy EPA water standards.
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2nd October 2012 at 7:06 pm
Llpoh says:
SSS – governments do not abide bycommercial principle,where if demand drops prices drop. Theylive in the anti-universe where if supply drops prices must increase.
What a stinking pile of shit.
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2nd October 2012 at 7:12 pm
Administrator says:
She has a cancerous mole under her left breast. AWD loves moles.
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2nd October 2012 at 7:12 pm
AWD says:
two-fer it is,
“AWD’s trouser snake is this long”
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2nd October 2012 at 7:14 pm
Llpoh says:
Meant to say above ” if demand drops prices must increase”, because if supply drops prices do in fact increase. My bad.
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2nd October 2012 at 7:21 pm
Kill Bill says:
Look at your water bill – you are paying two to three times more to dispose of it (and the trash) than the cost of the water itself.
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2nd October 2012 at 7:28 pm
ron says:
Water here still seems cheap,the sewer and other services went up twenty bucks a momth recently.
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2nd October 2012 at 7:28 pm
AWD says:
Hot girls and water seem to go well together. A three-fer,
That’s enough for one thread
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2nd October 2012 at 7:45 pm
SSS says:
AWD
Your first wet t-shirt pic slipped slightly into the TBP realm of approbrium (Latin, look it up, doc). Wet t-shirts pics must feature a thicker weave of cotton so as to reveal not too much.
The second pic meets acceptable TBP standards. What’s that shiny thingy in her bellybutton? Please, someone tell me that’s pasted in there and not something that’s been pierced into her navel.
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2nd October 2012 at 8:29 pm
Colma Rising says:
SSS – that is the sun glinting off my saliva.
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2nd October 2012 at 8:33 pm
llpoh says:
I should check my employees for pierced navels.
Company meeting tomorrow.
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2nd October 2012 at 9:04 pm
Stucky says:
Just got back from visiting my mom and dad.
What a nice surprise …… my Ms. Fatty is KICKING ASS!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo!!
Thank yeeew much.
(Suck it, AWD) lol
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2nd October 2012 at 10:10 pm
Dave Doe says:
AWD were you and Smokey related. I thought that was the length of his trouser snake – self reported of course.
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2nd October 2012 at 11:02 pm
AWD says:
Ms. Fatty more popular than mega-hotties.
Ya’ll are either homos or chubby chasers.
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2nd October 2012 at 11:11 am
llpoh says:
I am a homo. That has been previously established. So, what’s your point? You’re just a sore loser.
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2nd October 2012 at 11:21 am