From the article:
“Right now we lose up to 30 percent of urban water just to leaks in the system,”
Seems like that's the main problem to address. The leaks aren't attributed to leaky faucets but the insinuation is that it's the supply lines. Why force customers to conserve when the suppliers let it flow into the ground?
Water that is used by customers is paid for and provides value, 30% lost to leaky mains is criminal.
If it is enforced the consequences may outweigh the benefits, let's see if we can think of what might happen if this is enforced.
*Residences with more occupants than is reported could start deficating in buckets and throwing it in the street when full. The San Francisco streets are already legendary for being covered in poop. There's a poop map.
*People might flush less often and create unsanitary conditions and clogged pipes.
*General hygiene in children may suffer as adults will insist on more water since they pay the bills and need to be clean for work.
*The cost of living could increase as people buy water to supplement their allotment. Laundromat business will be booming at the expense of citizens who would otherwise do it at home.
*More pollution will be created as people will drive out of their way to stop by the gym, do a minor workout and take a luxuriously long shower at the gym. Or other creative workarounds.
*The police and courts will be kept busy dealing with people who find ways of capitalizing on this or homeowners who attempt to bypass metering.
I could probably make a list of 100 consequences in an hour or two but I'm just some guy on the internet so I'm probably wrong. Maybe the people of CA will follow whatever rules are foisted on them and bite the bullet. Doesn't seem like typical human behavior, but anything's possible.
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