Letter: Conservation not reason for apartment water fees

If the owners of Oasis Properties want to charge their apartment tenants an extra $20 or more per month as reported in the May 6 edition of the Sun, well, that's their God-given right as American businessmen. But wrapping their greed in the mantle of water conservation would be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic.

Charging folks for water they actually use, even with our low water rates, might help determine how much is used. But charging a flat rate per apartment with no consideration of use is not going to encourage conservation. The idea defies logic. I would guess that, with human nature being what it is, water use will become more lavish as people strive to get their money's worth -- contrary to the assertion of company president Keith Oden that the flat fee cut water use in apartment complexes in Texas.

If conservation is truly the goal, there are lots of ways to manage water use more efficiently in apartment complexes, both inside and outside, but the article makes no mention of these being implemented. One might start by getting rid of all that lush landscaping greenery mentioned by Oden as so expensive to water.

Some questions: If tenants do wind up saving water, will their water bills go down as a reward? Since residents' water bills are currently folded into their monthly payments, will their rent be cut to account for the new billing system, or are they going to be charged twice for their water? Or would all that be just too complicated to figure out.

Jay Bartos

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