The city will begin monitoring households' hot water usage immediately and, after a three month "education" period, give consumers the option to subscribe to one of three hot water tiers:
TIER ONE, $29.95/month: 500 gallons of hot water per month, delivered at a rate of 0.33 gallons per minute. $1 per additional gallon over limit.
TIER TWO, $39.95/month: 750 gallons of hot water per month, delivered at a rate of 0.5 gallons per minute. $1 per additional gallon over limit.
TIER THREE, $49.95/month: 1,000 gallons of hot water per month, delivered at a rate of 1 gallon per minute. $1 per additional gallon over limit.
City officials acknowledge that, just as digital data (whether for internet, phone or TV) all similarly consume capacity over Time Warner Cable, water (whether cold or ultimately heated) also consumes similar capacity through city pipes.
However, mimicking the geniuses at Time Warner Cable, Greensboro quickly recognized an opportunity to exploit hot water's popularity. "Hot water is very popular," said City Water Manager Buddy Hydro, "People are using it for all sorts of new things, like cooking, cleaning, even bathing."
Local bloggers were swiftly up in arms over the changes, quick to see the negative effects of such a change. "How many people or businesses are going to want to come to Greensboro when it is the only city in North Carolina and one of only four in the country that charges for hot water like this?" asked Baldy Malone at his blog In My Craw.
Greensboro leadership was slower to respond, apparently trying to figure out the importance of hot water.
Ok, maybe I'm a little slow. Is this an April Fool's joke? Oh yeah, the word verification below is "manized". Made me laugh a little. --brandonB
ReplyDeleteBut it's not fair to make those of us who have solar hot water heaters subsidize the fat cats across town with their hot tubs and heated pools... ;-)
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