[Rally]

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_heal...es_qa5/en/

The WHO estimates that the minimum per capita water requirement of 7.5 L (call it two gallons) "a day will meet the requirements of most people under most conditions."

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room...vation.pdf

California's per capita water consumption in February for personal use was 76 gallons per day; that's just under 40 times the minimum that the WHO estimates people need to survive.  So, there is room between people need to use less water, and water is a right.  One could easily guarantee a certain minimum amount of water per capita "for free", satisfying those who say that water is a right, and charging for more than that, satisfying those people who argue that creating a market for water is the best way to ensure that water is conserved.

But even then, personal consumption accounts for only 3 billion gallons per day statewide; statewide consumption for all uses is about 12 times as much (38 billion).


BC

Right on all counts.  But WHO doesn't account for daily showers, teeth brushing, toilets that use 1.6 gals to flush a few ounces of waste, daily dishwashing, washing the car (not to mention the driveway, sidewalk and gutter) letting the tap run until the temp is just right, boiling pasta in 6 qt of water (foolish) and dumping the water down the drain, dumping all cooking water, for that matter, down the drain, etc. 

[Rally]

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_heal...es_qa5/en/

The WHO estimates that the minimum per capita water requirement of 7.5 L (call it two gallons) "a day will meet the requirements of most people under most conditions."

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room...vation.pdf

California's per capita water consumption in February for personal use was 76 gallons per day; that's just under 40 times the minimum that the WHO estimates people need to survive.  So, there is room between people need to use less water, and water is a right.  One could easily guarantee a certain minimum amount of water per capita "for free", satisfying those who say that water is a right, and charging for more than that, satisfying those people who argue that creating a market for water is the best way to ensure that water is conserved.

But even then, personal consumption accounts for only 3 billion gallons per day statewide; statewide consumption for all uses is about 12 times as much (38 billion).


BC

Right on all counts.  But WHO doesn't account for daily showers, teeth brushing, toilets that use 1.6 gals to flush a few ounces of waste, daily dishwashing, washing the car (not to mention the driveway, sidewalk and gutter) letting the tap run until the temp is just right, boiling pasta in 6 qt of water (foolish) and dumping the water down the drain, dumping all cooking water, for that matter, down the drain, etc.