Water Vigilantes
Slashed tires. Anonymous threats. Vandalism. These are just some of the tactics employed by Australia’s self-appointed water police. In cities large and small, residents live in fear, waiting and wondering whether a patch of green or a healthy bed of flowers will incur the wrath of their neighbors and possibly lead to a violent confrontation. Their fears are not unfounded. In 2003, two Sydney neighbors literally came to blows after one family felt the grass was much too green on the other side of the fence.
Southeastern Australia has been trapped in the grips of a debilitating drought for the last several years. In response, several water-use restrictions have been instituted throughout the region. In Melbourne, gardens can be watered only on specified days, and car washing has been banned outright. One way to get around drought regulations involves the installation of a graywater-reuse or a rainwater-collection irrigation system. In this way, many suburban homes have managed to maintain their lush landscapes.
All that vegetation has ignited suspicions, however, and fueled what one local newspaper called “water rage.” Incensed by what they perceive as illicit water waste, these water vigilantes are not above resorting to equipment sabotage and verbal threats. Some residents are terrified. Others have resorted to installing security equipment and posting elaborate signs explaining the various conservation methods being employed for irrigation purposes. In fact, Australian authorities hope the controversy related to the landscape wars eventually will inspire residents to install similar systems, thereby increasing conservation and diminishing demand.
Could the water vigilantes be labeled “eco-terrorists?” After all, there’s a difference between a neighborly squabble and a group of self-styled water enforcers promoting their cause through vandalism and threats of violence. Although the goal may be water conservation, their methods are illegal, ineffective, and counterproductive. Water is a shared resource, and property damage does little to encourage community action. On the other hand, the general public—united and working toward a common goal—is a powerful conservation tool.
In 2006, the Irrigation Association (IA) named July “Smart Irrigation Month.” By combining the efforts of the US Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, private industry, and local government, the Smart Irrigation Month campaign encourages everyone touched by the irrigation industry—be it a farmer in California’s central valley or a homeowner on the outskirts of Palm Beach, FL—to work together toward efficient irrigation and water conservation.
We have only a certain amount of water to work with, and waste by one person can directly lead to lack somewhere else. One way to ensure water is used wisely and efficiently is to impose and enforce restrictions. These efforts are effective, but they represent only one weapon in the water efficiency arsenal. A more effective approach is to temper fines and restrictions with community outreach. An event like the IA’s Smart Irrigation Month is an important step in that direction. By educating residents about new technologies and drought-resistant landscaping, an all-inclusive effort can allow them to keep their gardens and reduce their water needs.
Author's Bio: Elizabeth Cutright is the Editor of Water Efficiency magazine.
July-August 2007
Water Vigilantes
Slashed tires. Anonymous threats. Vandalism. These are just some of the tactics employed by Australia’s self-appointed water police. In cities large and small, residents live in fear, waiting and wondering whether a patch of green or a healthy bed of flowers will incur the wrath of their neighbors and possibly lead to a violent confrontation. Their fears are not unfounded. In 2003, two Sydney neighbors literally came to blows after one family felt the grass was much too green on the other side of the fence.
Southeastern Australia has been trapped in the grips of a debilitating drought for the last several years. In response, several water-use restrictions have been instituted throughout the region. In Melbourne, gardens can be watered only on specified days, and car washing has been banned outright. One way to get around drought regulations involves the installation of a graywater-reuse or a rainwater-collection irrigation system. In this way, many suburban homes have managed to maintain their lush landscapes.
All that vegetation has ignited suspicions, however, and fueled what one local newspaper called “water rage.” Incensed by what they perceive as illicit water waste, these water vigilantes are not above resorting to equipment sabotage and verbal threats. Some residents are terrified. Others have resorted to installing security equipment and posting elaborate signs explaining the various conservation methods being employed for irrigation purposes. In fact, Australian authorities hope the controversy related to the landscape wars eventually will inspire residents to install similar systems, thereby increasing conservation and diminishing demand.
Could the water vigilantes be labeled “eco-terrorists?” After all, there’s a difference between a neighborly squabble and a group of self-styled water enforcers promoting their cause through vandalism and threats of violence. Although the goal may be water conservation, their methods are illegal, ineffective, and counterproductive. Water is a shared resource, and property damage does little to encourage community action. On the other hand, the general public—united and working toward a common goal—is a powerful conservation tool.
In 2006, the Irrigation Association (IA) named July “Smart Irrigation Month.” By combining the efforts of the US Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, private industry, and local government, the Smart Irrigation Month campaign encourages everyone touched by the irrigation industry—be it a farmer in California’s central valley or a homeowner on the outskirts of Palm Beach, FL—to work together toward efficient irrigation and water conservation.
We have only a certain amount of water to work with, and waste by one person can directly lead to lack somewhere else. One way to ensure water is used wisely and efficiently is to impose and enforce restrictions. These efforts are effective, but they represent only one weapon in the water efficiency arsenal. A more effective approach is to temper fines and restrictions with community outreach. An event like the IA’s Smart Irrigation Month is an important step in that direction. By educating residents about new technologies and drought-resistant landscaping, an all-inclusive effort can allow them to keep their gardens and reduce their water needs.