tree68 Euclid Instead it will be in ways to lower water consumption. In terms of the original post - most of us would probably have a problem living with the very real restrictions they live with daily. Niagara Falls, which handles the outflow from all the Great Lakes above it, moves a lot of water: During the summer and fall, Niagara Falls can flow at more than 700,000 gallons per second. During peak daytime tourist hours, the Horseshoe Falls can flow at 6 million cubic feet per second, which is about a million bathtubs full of water every minute. The flow over the falls varies by season and time of day, as governed by a treaty. This is largely due to tourism. Seasonal flows notwithstanding, water not going over the falls is generating electricity. Currently, the Niagara River is flowing at around 240,000 cubic feet per second, or nearly 2 million gallons per second. The average daily water usage ranges from 50 to 200 gallons per person on a national basis.
Euclid Instead it will be in ways to lower water consumption.
In terms of the original post - most of us would probably have a problem living with the very real restrictions they live with daily.
Niagara Falls, which handles the outflow from all the Great Lakes above it, moves a lot of water:
During the summer and fall, Niagara Falls can flow at more than 700,000 gallons per second. During peak daytime tourist hours, the Horseshoe Falls can flow at 6 million cubic feet per second, which is about a million bathtubs full of water every minute.
The flow over the falls varies by season and time of day, as governed by a treaty. This is largely due to tourism. Seasonal flows notwithstanding, water not going over the falls is generating electricity.
Currently, the Niagara River is flowing at around 240,000 cubic feet per second, or nearly 2 million gallons per second.
The average daily water usage ranges from 50 to 200 gallons per person on a national basis.
Euclid The following from the link I posted above and other embedded link(s) make all of the points I have suggested about possible opposition to this new plan for New Mexico imported water. So I don’t understand your point about this only being about private wells and not pertinent to the plan for New Mexico. From the link: “Last week came the surprising news that a company in Lakeville, Minn., wants to pump water from below the ground in Dakota County and transport it by rail to the western United States, where water is scarce." Environmental groups quickly opposed the idea. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said the plan likely won't meet state law.” With this Minnesota proposal, it sounds identical to what is being proposed for NM, and also demonstrates plenty of public opposition, and regulations. If the water authority here were to sell to other states, and bring in revenue to lower our rates, fine. But it would also give them a motive to raise our rates on a premise that water is in short supply, and so we all need to chip in and pay a little more. If such a proposal came up here, I would immediately oppose it. The water rates here are rising all the time, along with sewer, electricity, and gas.
I'm not saying this is only about private wells, but the article you linked was about private wells. The state had doubts about the approval of the project because of the specific aquifer. The article also says Minnesota has no absolute prohibitions against export of water. So there are a number of differences between this and the Mississippi case. But of course a similarity with the two cases is some public opposition. Because groundwater is so connected to surface water, I also believe there should be more regulation of groundwater. But whereas surface water is recognized as a public trust, groundwater is often considered a property right, and regulation gets pushback from farmers, industry, and property rights groups.
Municipal water authorities have a hard enough time getting water rates approved to cover their cost of operation. It seems implausible that a city council would tell it's voting citizens that they are approving a water rate hike above costs just because they think it is in demand.
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