Reply #19: Over here in Australia... [View All]

[foreigncorrespondent]

...Perth and most of Western Australia has the right idea. They use bore water for watering gardens and lawns and bathing in. The water is a little harder, but if you add softners to your bath, it actually isn't so bad.

In South Australia a lot of people have tanks on their property for their drinking water. Granted the water in Adelaide isn't so great, but it is a good way to save water.

Does California do this kind of thing anywhere?

I know a lot of the water companies here in Victoria are offering people money back offers for installing water saving devices in their homes.

It is sad that it has become so bad for fresh water now. My sister lives in a small coastal tourist trap here in Victoria. Now here in Melbourne we are in stage two water restrictions, but where my sister is, they aren't under any sort of restrictions. Anyway she was telling me that the home opposite her is a holiday home for this family. Anyway most weekends these people come up from Melbourne and bloody well wash their cars and then hose the lawn down. Now why do that?

My sister said last summer that she realized how bad the water situation was here in Melbourne and so the only things she would water was her lemon tree, apart from that nothing. Her husband uses a special wash glove to wash the cars with. You don't use any soap to wash the car, just soak the glove in some water and wipe it over the car.

We call people here in Melbourne who waste water "water wallies." Anyway there is an elderly couple living opposite me, and the husband was out a few weeks ago watering his garden while it was rainging.

Anyway, sorry for rambling on. I just hate people who waste water.