Hard water, hard choices

Tim Gallagher — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:03:54 GMT

In Marion County Florida, through the Star-Banner's Newspapers in Education Program, we are about to deliver around 5000 copies of a educational tab called "Race for the Planet - An art and science program on water conservation". No better place to start educating the public than with the kids.

Hard water, hard choices

Mary, Flagstaff, AZ — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 01:17:14 GMT

I live in Arizona but not in Phoenix – thank goodness! I live in the mountains where we have been on water restrictions for years (although we receive a lot more rain that the rest of the state). Where do the people in the valley think their water comes from? Here in the mountains we receive at least twice as much moisture as the “Valley of the Sun” and a lot of their water comes from our snow pack (everything runs downhill) but our snow pack has been about half of normal, but our neighbors in the Phoenix Metro area seem not notice. The rest of their water comes down the CAP (Central Arizona Project) and ground water. CAP is an open canal that runs from the Colorado River to the valley and then south. The reservoirs along the Colorado River are at all time lows. The valley’s ground water is also low. It’s way past time that these Arizonans start to conserve. Why haven’t the local governments done anything about this? Or should or state government? It’s not hard to conserve. Limit the days and times you can water your lawn, wash your car, and refill your pool. This isn’t rocket science!!!! WE LIVE IN A DESERT AND WE ARE IN A DROUGHT!!!!!

Hard water, hard choices

Mark Nickels, Manitowoc, WI — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 02:12:49 GMT

I hope your series on water usage captures/explains that the water we all use ends up somewhere on the planet, whether it be in our local sewers, sewage systems, evaporating and raining somewhere else, being bottled and used somewhere else, grown into various crops and shipped around, etc., etc. The issue seems to be draining the underground water tables, lakes and rivers of course, but its not like we are "using" the water and then it is gone. It is a commodity like many others, and ends up somewhere for a price. Getting the water back to where it was taken from, so that nature can be balanced by the excessive imbalance we humans are causing, will hopefully be a point of discussion in this series.

Hard water, hard choices

Suzanne Pratt, Birmingham, AL — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 03:59:35 GMT

Fascinating report. I hope that more people with pools will adopt this method of keeping their pools' water soft. I know if I lived in Phoenix I would want a pool also, but it seems like we consume so much here in American while other countries and peoples have no clean water much less water for pools. It would be nice as we try to solve our environmental problems if we can address some of the resource equity problems as well. A child in Kenya should be able to have clean water to drink far more than I should have water for a swimming pool.

Hard water, hard choices

Doug, Mesa, AZ — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:57:09 GMT

I live in the valley of the sun, and see many businesses and home owners flooding their lawns day and night. Have we become so attached to our live grass that we can't consider artificial lawns? I've seen them. They look just as good, or better, than the real thing, and no mowing. Saves water and air polution.

Hard water, hard choices

Doug, Mesa, AZ — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:57:34 GMT

Hard water, hard choices

Jack, LA, CA — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:59:14 GMT

i think that water restrictions should exercised everywhere and most importantly in arizona where populations are booming. think of all the golf courses in the middle of the desert. think of all of the livestock that rely heavily on water in the desert. prices of water should be increased even more and restrictions per person should be lawed.

Hard water, hard choices

kym soos norwalk, ct — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:06:44 GMT

I live in a HARD WATER area and i was killing myself. Every month, like clockwork, I was on my knees cleaning and scrubbing Hard water stains. I hated it, so I started researching hard water and found out that the scaling and deposits was costing me a FORTUNE!!! My appliances were losing half of their life span due to corrosion and deposit. NOT only that. I found out that my water heater was scaling and my heating bill was 30% HIGHER than it should be. YES, SCALING ACTUALLY MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR YOUR WATER HEATER TO WORK.... Well i was so pissed, I decided to by a water softener. Most W/S on the market are expensive and require monthly maintenance costs and filters and or SALT. This can cost up to $800 a month, and the salt is HORRIBLE for the environment... WTF??? Then i found a small company here in the U.S.A. that sells a new product that STOPS scale from forming and breaks up OLD ones, and it does all this for a ONE time cost. NO FILTERS< NO SALT. This means its environmentally SAFE. I emailed them and they were awesome!! Sent me info right away. try em out, at least for info.
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