Steps towards Sustainability

[#1]

Recently, a municipal client requested a plan for the future of their water system that would help their community minimize their carbon footprint. What steps could they take towards their goal of sustainability?

What steps do you believe are reasonable and practical? What would you advise?

[rrich]

What format is that document in?  My Word processor can't make sense of it.

[johntoconnor]

Sorry, my mistake. I have posted an updated version in pdf format.

John

[00375250]

Reads like a great social-engineering document. Technology and the free-market are the better agents for making water available and of good quality.

[johntoconnor]

Mr. Smith,

I don’t understand the points you allude to in your your comments.

Are you familiar with the acquisition, management and operation of public water supplies in the United States?

Are there technologies that you believe are not currently being used (or effectively used) to make ‘water available’ and ensure drinking water quality?

Are you advocating privatization of municipal water supplies? Or are you advocating private wells, home water conditioning equipment and packaged waters as alternatives to municipal supplies?

Are you criticizing the ‘Steps toward Sustainability’ because you view reducing water supply operational costs though conservation and pricing as advancing ‘social engineering’ rather than addressing utility cost concerns?

If you have ‘better agents’ for providing drinking water (and, hopefully, also containing costs), please share them with us so that we can evaluate their potential.

John T. O’Connor
Columbia, Missouri

[johntoconnor]

John T. O’Connor's previous blog posts related to water and wastewater treatment can now be found at the website, www.h2oc.com.