Unacceptable Losses
To expand on Katharine Biele's thoughts on Utah's water shortages (Hits and Misses, Sept. 23) In August, The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Park City was taking action because it was losing 30% of its drinking water before it could reach consumers. This should have sounded alarm bells. Over 50 years ago, before computers and digital meters, a loss of 15% was regarded as an upper limit for a "well-run" utility. Standards should be much tighter these days.
In July 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that "Average water loss in systems is 16%—up to 75% of that is recoverable." So, aiming at losses not exceeding 4% may be a tough target, but is almost certainly economically justified. However, in August 2013, the Utah State Water Plan concluded that "Most Utah municipal water systems do not accurately account for water use and most do not have an active leak detection program." Note that this depressing conclusion was reached before the impacts of the current drought and the serious effects of climate change were fully appreciated.
Unless water losses have miraculously healed themselves in the intervening years—why was this not the focus of the governor's prayers?—the state should call on all water utilities to implement plans to get losses to acceptable levels as soon as possible. And before everyone screams that this cannot be afforded, reducing losses from 30% to 15% makes more water available for sale to customers, enough to cover a decade of growth. What's not to like?
RICHARD MIDDLETON
Salt Lake City
"Time's Up" Sept. 16 Cover Story
Thanks to Jim Catano for an honest, open, reasonable "discussion" on climate change in City Weekly. I basically agree. And many, perhaps most, youth agree—that's why they're facing an epidemic of despair and hopelessness.
Our current fragmented "civilization" is simply unable to deal with a planetary, global, developing catastrophe. The United Nations is weak and political. The so-called "great powers" are each arrogant, ignorant and politically dysfunctional.
Where's Edward Abbey and his monkey-wrenchers when we really need them? A little diligent sabotage might go a long way. So might the rapid, effective removal of certain specific industrial, business and political "leaders."
The planet will get through this. But humankind, as we've come to know it, likely will not.
JOE ANDRADE
Millcreek
Grand Dumb Party
I have just started a brand new national political party: D.A.S., which means Dumb As S--t. Basically our motto is: If smart people are for it, we are against it. We don't believe in COVID shots or any type of masking. One of our founding members got one of the first shots and immediately started talking in a Chinese language. Another one of our founders, after getting the second shot, was overheard saying something nice about a Democrat.
Hope a lot of people see this and join because we've lost a lot of members these past several months because of some kind of mystery disease.
TED OTTINGER
Taylorsville
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