Water issues

Apart from wildfires threatening some of the world’s rural areas and even city suburbs such as is graphically observed in California, the over-abundance of water in some areas, and the lack of potable water and the health issues that brings, in other areas closer to home, are likely to effect Kiwi living conditions, health, and horticulture more than simply the actual climate-warming itself. There will be revelations regarding how far Kiwis have strayed from their original abilities, to ‘‘make do’’, to blend tradition with necessity, and reassert the good old ‘‘number 8 wire’’ philosophy. There will need to be changes, like the reintroduction of the kids sharing bath-water, flower gardens will for the most part be less extensive; less polluting soap products to facilitate the use of grey-water to water fruit trees and the like, will be a must. The bucketing of such water from bath to garden will probably become iconic to the Kiwi way of life.

Local bodies having to meter water will need to be careful that water charges reflect only the cost of potable water supply, and not be tempted to treat water production as a cash-cow. Nor should such local bodies introduce rating penalties against those constituents who have had the foresight to install tanks to conserve rainwater. Once again, the vegetable patch, and the hen-house will come into their own, without noticeably affecting supermarkets. The cellphone generation will no doubt survive the financial collapse of some fast-food outlets, but life will go on . . .

Dennis Pennefather

Te Awamutu