Stop the waste of water

Miami Herald opinion editorial "Stop the waste of water" (November 17th, 2009) appears to miss the simplest solution to the over-watering of lawns and landscapes in South Florida. It complains of an exception to a rationing rule that allows southern counties to water their landscapes.

The rules set up a double standard that allows counties south of Lake Okeechobee to waste water.

South Florida, the state's biggest water gulper -- 179 gallons per person per day is our shameful average -- still gets to water its landscapes three times a week under the new rule's exemption approved Friday by the South Florida Water Management District's board.

If the Herald feels water is being wasted, the panacea to shortages is privatization of resources or to charge the real cost of producing water. If watering lawns is not worth it for families and institutions, then they won't water them. If it is, then how could we possibly define what they're doing as waste?