Brookings Banter

While the country is worrying about safe bridges, the Federal Government granted SDSU $200,000 to conduct lawn watering assessments and educate residents on lawn irrigation in Sioux Falls.  If you are a returning reader of my blog you know that I advocate research grants from federal and state governments as an economic development tool.  But this is ridiculous. 

For the record I water my lawn.  I also expect to pay for the costs and the utility curve has an effect.  At a certain cost I'll stop.  I don't expect anyone else to pick up the tab for my extra water usage.  Several years ago Brookings Municipal Utilities invoked water restrictions and increased rates for those who use more water in the summer months.  If the peak usage caused by summer time watering continued to grow at the same rate Brookings would have had to increase treatment capacity much earlier than planned.  The cost of increasing peak capacity would have been shared by all water users through increased rates.  That's not fair to those who didn't cause the peak capacity issues.

I give Sioux Falls credit, they have stepped up and realized that they need to be a major payer for the Lewis & Clark project.  Until the project is completed continue to increase the rates for those who water their lawn.  Then, economics will force those who water to educate themselves on best practices.

Government needs to focus on bigger issues.  I think safes bridges beat out green grass.