California American Water, a private company that supplies water and waste water services all over the U.S. and Canada, announced that it's on the lookout for
instances of water theft from fire hydrants. And they're ready to prosecute offenders.Contractors who need to use water from a fire hydrant for any project are required to obtain a hydrant meter permit that typically lasts 60 days. They are given a meter so their usage can be measured and billed. But sometimes in remote areas, contractors are using the fire hydrants without permits and hence, not contributing to American Water's bottom line. And that's a big no-no!
While we're all for reducing consumption of water, water privatization really annoys the hell out of me. When I hear about prosecution and law enforcement getting involved, I just can't help asking 'Who's water is it anyway?'
Photo: Sad Hydrant 2 on flickr under Creative Commons License
The water is free-just leave out a barrel and collect all you want. If you prefer it treated and delivered where you want it under pressure, you can pay for it like the vast majority of customers