View Full Version : OKC's biggest water users



Pages : [1] 2

urbanity
10-20-2011, 08:00 AM
Water hogs

Who are the city’s biggest water users?

http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-13296-water-hogs.html

Richard at Remax
10-20-2011, 10:42 AM
That's funny. I grew up with the dobson kids in middle school and high school. I have no idea how in the world they use that much water at their house. They do have two pools but still thats ridiculous

jn1780
10-20-2011, 03:51 PM
That's funny. I grew up with the dobson kids in middle school and high school. I have no idea how in the world they use that much water at their house. They do have two pools but still thats ridiculous

Yeah, I figured the top user would have a large plot of land that they watered.

betts
10-20-2011, 03:55 PM
I think the heat caused so much evaporation that swimming pools probably used significantly more water than usual. And, the number of gallons it takes to fill up a pool is astounding. I guess filling up my bird bath twice daily and watering all the plants on my balconies didn't warrant getting on the list.

MikeOKC
10-20-2011, 05:15 PM
"Just as wars over oil played a major role in 20th-century history, a new book makes a convincing case that many 21st century conflicts will be fought over water."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122195532

The water usage among the top users in Gaillardia is despicable - especially in a drought. Pity we may have to live with a brown yard. The arrogance of privilege.

windowphobe
10-20-2011, 05:34 PM
Perhaps some day they'll go to a rate plan like Austin's - tiered usage, and each higher tier carries a higher price.

I've done the math so you don't have to:

http://www.dustbury.com/archives/13146

bluedogok
10-20-2011, 08:18 PM
About a year ago they had a news story on one of the TV newscasts, one of the US Reps from the Austin area was in the top 10. Pretty much all of them we in the newer, big house areas. A few said they had line leaks and had them fixed, the city person interviewed did say that was accurate and their usage was drastically different after that.

Thunder
10-20-2011, 08:21 PM
I thought it would be Walmart. :-/

bombermwc
10-21-2011, 07:04 AM
Why Walmart? When was the last time they had anything other than a bathroom that uses water?

Anyway - tiered would be great. There's no reason they have to suck up the water in the city so freaking Gallardia folks can have green grass while we all suffer with dead stuff. That's just crazy.

ljbab728
10-21-2011, 09:52 PM
Why Walmart? When was the last time they had anything other than a bathroom that uses water?

Anyway - tiered would be great. There's no reason they have to suck up the water in the city so freaking Gallardia folks can have green grass while we all suffer with dead stuff. That's just crazy.

Does the city have special provisions that exempt Gaillardia during water use restriction periods? If not, I see no problem. Their grass should be no greener than yours if you want to pay for the water usage.

RadicalModerate
10-21-2011, 11:15 PM
Perhaps The Era of Pet Lawns has finally drawn to a close . . .

(And all those formerly involved in the mowing of the grass can now become skilled in the raking of the gravel and tending of the cacti---neither of which require the water for actual vegetables and whatnots.)

Just as The Dawn of SereScaping begins to break.

venture
10-21-2011, 11:34 PM
If they are paying for it, whatever. From a different vantage point though, if you are using that much water than you really need to re-evaluate priorities on excessive usage.

RadicalModerate
10-21-2011, 11:48 PM
"re-evaluating priorities"
regarding wasting water
IS a good idea.
regardless of the ability to pay.

just a thought

ljbab728
10-22-2011, 12:05 AM
I'm not against conserving water but I'm not going to judge someone who is following the rules. If the rules need to be changed, do it.
One of my priorities is having enough scotch to have an occasional scotch and water when I feel like. It is a waste of money and water but I enjoy it. As long as it's legal and I can afford it, I'll keep having my scotch and water.

RadicalModerate
10-22-2011, 12:14 AM
it ain't about "the rules"
it is about the "mindset"

(that squanders multi-millions of gallons of drinkable water on grass)

Don't worry, apparently T.Boone Pickens has already picked up the scent of trillions of dollars to be made by "properly pricing" this life requirement . . .

ljbab728
10-22-2011, 12:21 AM
it ain't about "the rules"
it is about the "mindset"

(that squanders multi-millions of gallons of drinkable water on grass)

Don't worry, apparently T.Boone Pickens has already picked up the scent of trillions of dollars to be made by "properly pricing" this life requirement . . .

The mindset can be improved but, again, I'm not going to judge anyway who is following the rules. I don't think anyone locally is going thirsty yet and we have had periods of much more extensive water rationing in the past. Have we had any problems other than low lake levels which might inconvenience some recreational boaters or fishers? There is no reason for panic. Our water situation here is fine.

NikkiG78
10-22-2011, 12:21 AM
We were on water restriction in Yukon so we could only use our sprinklers on certain days but we could still water with the hose...What is the difference? I hardly ever used my sprinkler anyway, using the hose was easier and faster.

RadicalModerate
10-22-2011, 12:23 AM
panic? did you say panic?
i never even thought about panic . . .
i was only refering to priorities, planning and pricing . . .

i think t. boone needs to try out Yukon instead of Gaillardia for the first pricing test.

ljbab728
10-22-2011, 12:36 AM
panic? did you say panic?
i never even thought about panic . . .
i was only refering to priorities, planning and pricing . . .

i think t. boone needs to try out Yukon instead of Gaillardia for the first pricing test.

I wasn't trying to imply that you were in a panic mode but you seem to be worried about the amount of drinkable water. Some posters here seem ready to lynch Gaillardia residents, though, because they're going to cause them to die of thirst (or have a brown lawn which is even worse).

Questor
10-22-2011, 10:38 AM
Isn't this a recycled Gazette story from last year? It's an interesting story, but I guess I just don't understand it's staying power.

Architect2010
10-22-2011, 12:50 PM
Because whether you are globally aware or not, water is quickly becoming a hot issue. Just because we live in the good 'ole U.S. where 80% of us take water for granted does not mean our supply is somehow unlimited. I can't even stand by that statement fully because the water issue is affecting the southwest U.S. severely too. Still, we are incredibly well off compared to majority of countries and people in the world.

jn1780
10-22-2011, 04:52 PM
I'm sure the highest residential home uses nowhere near the amount of water agriculture uses and 99% of agriculture are probably pumping it from the aquifer. I was just surprised the number one user didn't have a 5-10 acre plot of grass they watered, but are not classified as agriculture. There probably is someone out in the country like that, but their using well water.

Just the facts
10-22-2011, 11:41 PM
Everyone who doesn't pour water on the ground raise your hand. Betts, I see your hand up. Anyone else?

Maybe if we didn't pave roads all over the countryside this wouldn't happen.

kevinpate
10-23-2011, 08:33 AM
Isn't this a recycled Gazette story from last year? It's an interesting story, but I guess I just don't understand it's staying power.

A little water, a little fertilizer, a little nature and wham, it's a perennial.

Questor
10-23-2011, 11:39 AM
Because whether you are globally aware or not, water is quickly becoming a hot issue. Just because we live in the good 'ole U.S. where 80% of us take water for granted does not mean our supply is somehow unlimited. I can't even stand by that statement fully because the water issue is affecting the southwest U.S. severely too. Still, we are incredibly well off compared to majority of countries and people in the world.

I do realize it, but in the context of okc it doesn't matter much and I don't care. The author may chose to write about global water shortages instead of okc water users in the future and I may care more to read that article.

OKCNDN
10-23-2011, 04:42 PM
We were on water restriction in Yukon so we could only use our sprinklers on certain days but we could still water with the hose...What is the difference? I hardly ever used my sprinkler anyway, using the hose was easier and faster.

People will leave the sprinkler on for hours if not all day or night.

People will only stand and spray water from a hose for...less than an hour?

Brett
10-24-2011, 04:40 AM
How is the FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center the number one commercial user of water? I can understand a golf course being second on the list. Does FAA MMAC generate its own energy?

bombermwc
10-24-2011, 06:48 AM
Does the city have special provisions that exempt Gaillardia during water use restriction periods? If not, I see no problem. Their grass should be no greener than yours if you want to pay for the water usage.

Except in times when resources are getting low, why should someone be allowed to use up that much water as a simple image issue while other people are being asked to scale back? It's not like they're watering one more time a week....they have obviously used enough to top out the useage list. How many other neighborhoods do you see with that many people in the top 10? It's about being responsible and not spending money just because you have it. It's about conserving resources because it's the right thing to do...screw whether your pocket can take it. They're simply screwing everyone else that's doing what's asked of them....and let me guess who would NOT get a ticket when code enforcement goes around. I had one sitting on my street at 240/sooner waiting to see if anyone had a sprinkler turned on on the wrong day...for 3 days in a row. I'm sure our little yard sprinklers are the same thing though....that's a big screw you Gallardia.

Just the facts
10-24-2011, 07:13 AM
What's the big deal? The City is expanding the Hefner Water Plant to handle the increase in demand. Problem created by government sponsored sprawl; problem solved by expanding government infrastructure. Repeat as necessary. Don't worry though - you haven't seen anything yet. We still have 400 sq miles of rural land to fill in.

http://jenniferfieldsrealestate.wordpress.com/tag/lake-hefner-water-treatment-plant/


A $48.5 million expansion project is set for the Lake Hefner Water Treatment Plant. This will enable the plant to provide more water supply to meet the growing needs of Oklahoma City.

With the new expansion, the plant can now pump out 100 million gallons of tap water daily, a significant increase from the current 75 million gallons per day. This will accommodate more residents and even city lawns.

According to Doug Holmes, Plant Manager, the expansion project started this year and is projected to end by 2013. As of now, the capacity is 75 million gallons and it mostly serves the northwest and north side of Oklahoma City as well as some of the central part of the city. The plant is located near the north side of Lake Hefner in northwest Oklahoma City and is generating its supply of water from the North Canadian River.

Given that 2011 brought about one of the hottest and driest summere in Oklahoma history, it is no wonder that the three existing water plants will soon reach their full capacity. Even the water pressure dropped in the city’s fringes according to Debbie Ragan, spokeswoman of the city utilities. This requires more capacity for the water plants to accommodate more needs. Oklahoma City is growing rapidly, and the current water supply is just not cutting it anymore.

Dustin Segraves, Project Manager of the new plant expansion, said that the $48.5 million budget is like building another water plant in the current facility. But planners will want to have more than what they think they need for future extreme conditions.

RadicalModerate
10-24-2011, 07:35 AM
I agree with bombermwc's appeal to common sense, responsibility and social justice (except maybe for leaving out the ["not"] before "getting low" in the first sentence).

However, we may be jumping to conclusions here: Perhaps some of the excessive residential water usage is not due to pampering the pets lawns (in an extreme drought year). Perhaps it's a result of the need to flush a whole lot more often than average on account of being way too full of "you-know-what" even up into the cranial cavity.

Thunder
10-24-2011, 09:12 AM
I learned on average each toilet uses 40,000 gallons a year. Yes, this includes your toilet that you sit on to dump tons of exit waste.

RadicalModerate
10-24-2011, 09:18 AM
Apparently all ten toilets in the average home in Gaillardia also include water features.

ljbab728
10-24-2011, 09:37 PM
Except in times when resources are getting low, why should someone be allowed to use up that much water as a simple image issue while other people are being asked to scale back? It's not like they're watering one more time a week....they have obviously used enough to top out the useage list. How many other neighborhoods do you see with that many people in the top 10? It's about being responsible and not spending money just because you have it. It's about conserving resources because it's the right thing to do...screw whether your pocket can take it. They're simply screwing everyone else that's doing what's asked of them....and let me guess who would NOT get a ticket when code enforcement goes around. I had one sitting on my street at 240/sooner waiting to see if anyone had a sprinkler turned on on the wrong day...for 3 days in a row. I'm sure our little yard sprinklers are the same thing though....that's a big screw you Gallardia.

I"m sorry again but, as long as they are following the rules and regulations, I have no problem with it. If you don't like the rules, work to change them instead of complaining about people that are not breaking any rules. You keep trying to make it an us against them situation and imply that they are able to do something that others aren't, which they can't.

bombermwc
10-25-2011, 06:51 AM
So we should ignore social responsibility and let people do what they want if they can afford it huh? That's not the kind of thinking that has us in the awesome situation our economy is now at all huh....you know the richest 400 people have more money than the next 150 million? But it's ok, if one family has to ration water on their side of town because there aren't enough resources but the rich guys get to keep watering their green yard...they can afford it, so it's ok. That happens in OKC every summer...don't think it doesn't. How many times have you seen some of the smaller municipalities in OKC (that buy water from OKC), ration for months before OKC does? It's about not being stupid with your resources, not whether your pockets are full enough to pay for it. Jeez. And in case you didn't notice, the increase in water supply that the plant is supposed to take, hasn't been totally approved either. The feeder lines from places like Sardis are still in court fights so there's no gurantee it's going to happen. And nothing has ever been done to expand in the second area at Draper either.

Anyway, isn't that exactlly what we're talking about? Change the rule and make it an incentive NOT to waste the water?

Just the facts
10-25-2011, 08:52 AM
Anyway, isn't that exactlly what we're talking about? Change the rule and make it an incentive NOT to waste the water?

How about treating the disease and not the symptoms?

Questor
10-25-2011, 07:18 PM
So we should ignore social responsibility and let people do what they want if they can afford it huh? That's not the kind of thinking that has us in the awesome situation our economy is now at all huh....you know the richest 400 people have more money than the next 150 million? But it's ok, if one family has to ration water on their side of town because there aren't enough resources but the rich guys get to keep watering their green yard...they can afford it, so it's ok. That happens in OKC every summer...don't think it doesn't. How many times have you seen some of the smaller municipalities in OKC (that buy water from OKC), ration for months before OKC does? It's about not being stupid with your resources, not whether your pockets are full enough to pay for it. Jeez. And in case you didn't notice, the increase in water supply that the plant is supposed to take, hasn't been totally approved either. The feeder lines from places like Sardis are still in court fights so there's no gurantee it's going to happen. And nothing has ever been done to expand in the second area at Draper either.

Anyway, isn't that exactlly what we're talking about? Change the rule and make it an incentive NOT to waste the water?

When you have laws on the books that exempt car washes from water rationing, that exempt businesses with landscaping from having to ration their water when everyone else has to, and you have heavy manufacturing facilities gobbling up more water then probably the top ten residential customers combined I think I am just not as outraged at joe shmoe watering his lawn on both odd and even days in comparison to all that.

Just the facts
10-25-2011, 08:04 PM
When you have laws on the books that exempt car washes from water rationing,

I can't speak for your other concerns, but most modern car washes recycle the water they use.

ljbab728
10-25-2011, 09:39 PM
Anyway, isn't that exactlly what we're talking about? Change the rule and make it an incentive NOT to waste the water?

So what kind of rule are you proposing? Are you suggesting that every household in the OKC area should be allowed the same amount of water each day and after that they're cut off? If you perhaps want it to be made more expensive the more water that is used, that will have little affect on the ones that you are deriding.
I understand your concerns about suburbs who rely on OKC for water who might have rationing. I have lived in one of those suburbs before but that is one of the prices you pay for suburban living. However, no one in our area is in any danger of not having plenty of water for necessities.

Just the facts
10-25-2011, 09:52 PM
Oklahoma City zoning regulations actually require yards to cover a large percentage of each lot. If the City allowed impervious surface area ratios to be higher and/or lots to be smaller there wouldn't be so much land that needs to be watered.

Rover
10-25-2011, 10:12 PM
I learned on average each toilet uses 40,000 gallons a year. Yes, this includes your toilet that you sit on to dump tons of exit waste.

So, since the avg toilet uses 3.5 gal of water per flush, this would amount to the AVERAGE toilet being flushed over 31 times per day. I guess there are a lot of people out there completely full of sh**. I think several are on this board. I serious doubt this "fact".

Rover
10-25-2011, 10:14 PM
Oklahoma City zoning regulations actually require yards to cover a large percentage of each lot. If the City allowed impervious surface area ratios to be higher and/or lots to be smaller there wouldn't be so much land that needs to be watered.

There are plenty of zero lot line homes here and they are not required a large yard.

I guess it is amazing to some that some people actually LIKE green yards. Imagine the horror of that.

Rover
10-25-2011, 10:17 PM
So we should ignore social responsibility and let people do what they want if they can afford it huh? That's not the kind of thinking that has us in the awesome situation our economy is now at all huh....you know the richest 400 people have more money than the next 150 million? But it's ok, if one family has to ration water on their side of town because there aren't enough resources but the rich guys get to keep watering their green yard...they can afford it, so it's ok. That happens in OKC every summer...don't think it doesn't. How many times have you seen some of the smaller municipalities in OKC (that buy water from OKC), ration for months before OKC does? It's about not being stupid with your resources, not whether your pockets are full enough to pay for it. Jeez. And in case you didn't notice, the increase in water supply that the plant is supposed to take, hasn't been totally approved either. The feeder lines from places like Sardis are still in court fights so there's no gurantee it's going to happen. And nothing has ever been done to expand in the second area at Draper either.

Anyway, isn't that exactlly what we're talking about? Change the rule and make it an incentive NOT to waste the water?

OMG. Imagine a society where people who can afford something get more than people who can't. The horrors of that. This capitalism thing is just a fad anyway, so don't worry about it.

ljbab728
10-25-2011, 10:56 PM
OMG. Imagine a society where people who can afford something get more than people who can't. The horrors of that. This capitalism thing is just a fad anyway, so don't worry about it.

Rover, I"m going to start drinking one less glass of water per day. Now if everyone in OKC will do that, bomber can have a nice green yard like all of those dastardly people in Gaillardia.

Snowman
10-26-2011, 06:52 AM
I would hate to see how everyone felt if we had to take more drastic measures than watering every other day this year.

bluedogok
10-26-2011, 10:05 AM
We are in Stage III restrictions in Austin, Sunday before 10:00AM or after 7:00PM are the only times that you can water by sprinkler right now. You can water by hand a few days a week. Makes it a bit more difficult to brink the yard back to look decent to put the house on the market since I haven't been watering most of the summer.

RadicalModerate
10-26-2011, 10:13 AM
People need to get over this unreasonable addiction to green grass.
Especially when it involves squandering "a requirement for human life".

(I mean, we ain't talking conspicuous consumption--regarding gasoline and the vehicles that burn it-- here) . . .

foodiefan
10-26-2011, 11:11 AM
. . . xeriscape?? They are doing it in a lot of places these days!!

RadicalModerate
10-26-2011, 11:21 AM
For some reason I thought xeriscaping was spelled with an s (at the front).
So I was wrong about it.
But not about the concept. =)

Save the water for drinking and watering your vegetables.
Let the lawn grass fend for itself.
It's sort of a natural selection/survival of the fittest sort of deal.

Snowman
10-26-2011, 11:22 AM
So, since the avg toilet uses 3.5 gal of water per flush, this would amount to the AVERAGE toilet being flushed over 31 times per day. I guess there are a lot of people out there completely full of sh**. I think several are on this board. I serious doubt this "fact".

While I am not calming their number is legitimate. It is more plausible if the study included public facilities for offices, schools, sporting events, etc where you have a large number of people with a relatively small number of toilets.

Achilleslastand
10-26-2011, 11:27 AM
So, since the avg toilet uses 3.5 gal of water per flush, this would amount to the AVERAGE toilet being flushed over 31 times per day. I guess there are a lot of people out there completely full of sh**. I think several are on this board. I serious doubt this "fact".

If its yellow let it mellow if its brown flush it down.

Questor
10-26-2011, 07:55 PM
I can't speak for your other concerns, but most modern car washes recycle the water they use.

As I understand it a lot do recycle water and it saves about 50% of what they'd have to use otherwise. But even 50% of what a car wash does in a month is a lot and one has to wonder if my entire neighborhood watering their lawns every day even comes close to that water usage. I'm not going after car wash owners, I'm just trying to highlight the hypocrisy of the situation and explain why as a result someone might not care if they're being wasteful.

Just the facts
10-26-2011, 09:23 PM
As I understand it a lot do recycle water and it saves about 50% of what they'd have to use otherwise. But even 50% of what a car wash does in a month is a lot and one has to wonder if my entire neighborhood watering their lawns every day even comes close to that water usage. I'm not going after car wash owners, I'm just trying to highlight the hypocrisy of the situation and explain why as a result someone might not care if they're being wasteful.

If was up to me, owning a car wouldn't even be necessary for about 75% of the population. Less cars, less car washes, less wasted water.

ljbab728
10-26-2011, 10:24 PM
People need to get over this unreasonable addiction to green grass.
Especially when it involves squandering "a requirement for human life".

(I mean, we ain't talking conspicuous consumption--regarding gasoline and the vehicles that burn it-- here) . . .

Radical, we have been through much worse conditions here in OKC for water availability in the past with total watering bans in affect. We have never had a concern about having plentiful water for basic necessities even during the worst periods. If not watering your lawn here would help people in Africa who are in desperate need, you would have a point. It's not like when you water your lawn the water disappears from the earth never to appear again.

Just the facts
10-27-2011, 06:18 AM
ljbab728 - what about the million of dollars spent on expanding water treatment facilities to keep pace with growing demand? You don't have to look all the way to Africa to see the benefits saving water in OKC, you only have to look in OKC.

kevinpate
10-27-2011, 06:45 AM
If was up to me, owning a car wouldn't even be necessary for about 75% of the population. Less cars, less car washes, less wasted water.

yet more showers for those who power walk more, mosey about more, and ride bicycles more or rollerblade more. If not, well, eww.

bombermwc
10-27-2011, 06:50 AM
What i would like to see is a scale that charges those that use over X number of gallons in a month, more than the normal rate as a way to discourage the use of excessive amounts of water. We're talking Gallardia, so we're talking pools and grass, we're not talking about a hospital saving lives or something.

And think about this. All those carwashes that you mention (which do recycle water anyway), use tens of times less than a family of 4 in Gallardia in their 6000 sft house. So yes, I feel that's a problem. And capitalism is fine any dandy until it becomes unbalanced and there's a popular uprising...hm, that seems to be happening now. We live in the most unbalanced wealth we've ever experienced in the U.S.....ever. Mark my words, if something doesn't change in the distribution of wealth away from that top few %, then we're going to have a social issue on our hands. I'm not talking about some dumbass in Gallardia either. People in OKC don't hold a candle to the type of unbalanced wealth i'm speaking of. Even the most wealthy person in OKC is only a mere a shadow. Remember again, the top 400 earn more than the next 150 million...combined.

The water issue here is just a microcasm example of the larger issues.

ljbab728
10-27-2011, 09:32 PM
The water issue here is just a microcasm example of the larger issues.

In your mind, maybe.

ljbab728
10-27-2011, 09:36 PM
ljbab728 - what about the million of dollars spent on expanding water treatment facilities to keep pace with growing demand? You don't have to look all the way to Africa to see the benefits saving water in OKC, you only have to look in OKC.

Kerry, unless a moratorium is put in effect to prevent new people moving into OKC, there will continue to be a growing need for water whether sprawl is involved or not. Your argument does not hold water (excuse the pun).

Just the facts
10-27-2011, 09:38 PM
yet more showers for those who power walk more, mosey about more, and ride bicycles more or rollerblade more. If not, well, eww.

Yes, but with the corresponding weight-loss there is less to wash, and with the cardiovascular improvement we can do it faster.

Just the facts
10-27-2011, 09:39 PM
Kerry, unless a moratorium is put in effect to prevent new people moving into OKC, there will continue to be a growing need for water whether sprawl is involved or not. Your argument does not hold water (excuse the pun).

Yes, population growth will result in higher demand, but you can't say that 200 people living in a condo complex uses the same amount of water as 200 people living in the suburbs. I'll bet I use more water on my lawn than everyone in The Classen combined. BTW - I have to water the lawn. If I don't I get fined by the HOA.