What happens when governments ask the public to report water waste? Ever feel like you're being watched? Rainfall has been low, the mountain snowpack is thin, and Californians are bracing for another year of
​​Lessons from California ​water conservation​, 2019 ​Reservoirs aren't supposed to look like this. Tough water times may be back in California. After the Golden State suffered through a historically severe drought from 2012-2017, ​pleasantly
Understanding progressive & regressive water pricing By J. Antonio Teodoro & Manny Teodoro ​maybe she runs a dialysis clinic in the basement? How do utilities distribute the costs of drinking water systems to their
A decoupling drama plays out in San Jose Do you know the way? The San Jose Water Company recently proposed a significant rate increase, and its customer are understandably unhappy. Their discontent is an
Not actually the author. The image is doctored, too. A California surprise: update  California has been enjoying a great deal of rain and snow over the past several months—a pleasant rebound in precipitation
Devils (and angels) in the details, Part 2 It's always about the money. In early January the California Water Board released its draft proposal for a statewide low-income water bill assistance program. My last
During California’s recent drought, the utilities that own their supply sources conserved more than the those that purchase water from wholesale suppliers -Warning: this post contains hardcore wonkery- A while ago I blogged about my
Why rate structures, not assistance programs, offer the most promising path to water affordability yeah this stinks kid, but it beats smallpox When discussions of water and sewer affordability turn to policy solutions, they
Bad water boys, whatchya gonna do when they come for you? Many California communities restricted outdoor irrigation during the recent drought. Did enforcement matter? Faced with water scarcity, communities sometimes restrict residential outdoor water use,
A California Surprise, Part 3 California’s private utilities continued to out-conserve public utilities even after the state lifted its mandate. In 2015 the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) ordered drinking water utilities
A California Surprise, Part 2 More drought porn (this is used to be Folsom Lake) How private implementation separates public policies from their political costs. Warning: this post contains hardcore wonkery. In 2015 the
A California surprise, Part I Drought porn Something unexpected happened when California ordered its utilities to save water: the state’s investor-owned private utilities out-conserved local governments. California’s long-term drought began as early as 2007,
Why water utility service can be simultaneously underpriced and unaffordable Analysis of water and sewer affordability implies a concern that the prices of these critical services might be too high. At the same time,
