Why encourage people to conserve water, then build thousands of new homes?
Conserve water — but build new homes?
In a recent Saturday edition (Jan. 15), there was an ad for “5 new home communities across the valley.” I viewed their website and determined that this would mean approximately 200 new homes. In the past I have read articles stating that tens of thousands of new homes will be built in the Coachella Valley.
Considering that we are in a never-ending extreme drought situation, how are they to provide water for these new residents?
Both the IID and CVWD impose limits on how much water each current household can use through a tiered price system. We are constantly reminded to conserve where we can. We are told: “Remove your grass lawn, get water-efficient appliances, take shorter showers, use recycled water on our outdoor vegetation!”
When I called to ask the new home builder where they were going to get the water for their 200 new homes, they answered, “There’s no law saying we can’t build and no law saying people can’t buy new homes.”
So what part of “there ain’t enough water as there is” isn’t getting through to the people who are responsible for making wise decisions for the future good of this valley?
Gary Miller, Indio
A Salton Sea solution for homelessness
It is very timely that Riverside County and Palm Springs propose to establish a center for relieving the homelessness crisis ("Homeless center funding discussed," Jan. 15).
The cost for this undertaking at this location appears high at around $13 million just to buy and renovate the site.
Right around the Salton Sea is a lot of cheap, vacant land available for sale with an infrastructure for approx. 1,000 homes already in place.
A community for the homeless all around the Salton Sea, together with an operations center next to it, should be more efficient and much easier on our public purse.
Gustav Meyer, La Quinta
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Why encourage people to conserve water and build thousands of homes?
