| OCR Text |
Show increase the surface tension. Diking the shallow areas to reduce the water surface usually results in a loss of fish and wildlife habitat. The effectiveness of the film in reducing surface tension depends on the application techniques and prevailing climatic conditions. Pricing of Water to Control Consumption Price paid is one of many factors that control the use of water. In the United States municipal water consumption varies from a low of about 50 gallons per day to over 500 gallons per day per capita. In comparison, municipal water consumption in Salt Lake City, Utah, averages about 215 gallons per day per capita. The extent that water prices affect this variation in consumption is still being studied. A study ^ in Boulder, Colorado, gives a good indication of what happens to consumption when a previously unmetered area has meters installed. Before the areas were metered in 1962 the home owners were charged a flat rate each month without regard to amount of water used. Restrictions were needed on lawn sprinkling during some summer months to meet the anticipated water shortages. In 196l the utility looked to pricing as a means of averting an impending water shortage. Meters were installed by 1962, and a uniform water charge of $ 0.35/ 1* 000 gallons was adopted. The water- use data for the metered period from 1962 to 1968 indicated an average reduction in use per household of 36 percent from the flat- rate period. This study indicates that pricing is an effective tool in reducing water use when a change is made from a previously unmetered area to metering. This study doesn't indicate the effect of increasing water charges within an area already metered. The major communities along the Wasatch Front all have metered water systems. A study-*-" 3 vas macLe in ± gSk on water uses for communities in six Utah counties. The study area included Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, and Weber Counties. Most of the reporting municipalities used either a fixed charge or block system to price household water. With a fixed charge, the price is not varied with the quantity of water used. Under the block system, water is metered to each household, and generally a minimum surcharge is made that covers 530 |
