LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

[October 4th, 2006] ARE WE FEEDING THE HOGS?

After reading your "Hydro Hogs" article [Sept. 27, 2006], I did some simple water calculations of my own. I was shocked at the results. My home last year used approximately 35,000 gallons of water. My annual bill? Nearly $600. Now compare that with the No. 1 water user in Portland. They used 785,400 gallons of water but had an annual bill of only $1,860. This home used 22 times more water than I did, yet my bill was still almost a third of theirs! Even the No. 10 water hog used 13 times more water than my home, but my annual bill was more than half of theirs!

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that some consumers are subsidizing the water use of others. The method the City of Portland uses to bill for water use is screwing somebody, and I guarantee you it isn't the hydro hogs in your article this week.

Dan Callaway
via wweek.com

Editor's Note: We've had a number of calls and e-mails from people asking why the annual bills paid by "Hydro Hogs" weren't that much higher than their own. The answer: It was our effort to give readers fair comparisons. Some districts, such as Portland, include sewer charges on water bills. Other districts include them in property taxes. So what we provided was the charge for water alone in an effort to compare apples to apples. We did list our top Portland Hydro Hog's water bill as $1,860 for the year, for instance, but that was after we stripped out the substantial sewer and other fees, which we calculated would have brought the total closer to $7,500.

GIVE THE HOSERS A BREAK

My wife and I are low water users, so hopefully I am objective ["Hydro Hogs," WW, Sept. 27, 2006]. Unless there is a water shortage such as we experienced in Portland in the late 1970s, then perhaps we should recall our science-class lessons (please don't test me). That is, all water is eventually absorbed by Mother Nature and then re-distributed again as rainfall following evaporation. Those who insist on using huge quantities of water are helping vegetation and the natural process while helping pay for our water facilities.

You and I may not admire the flip attitude of some people toward our resources, but shouldn't we concentrate on the destruction of our countryside by some of these same people rather than their use of a renewable resource?

Joe Ferguson Sr.
via wweek.com

WE'RE IN HOG HEAVEN

Excellent piece [Hydro Hogs]—this is the real news that needs to be reported but usually is not. Good to know that at least WW is looking out for the rest of us.

Salena Sanford
via wweek.com