I have been trying to figure out the purpose of a toothless water use bylaw as is being thrown at us. Water use has always been a pretentious issue. It pits neighbour against neighbour and wealthy against the less privileged. As our city slogan says, "cultivate life" one would assume you can't cultivate without water. Water is the essential to life.
I would like to know, as a longtime resident of St. Albert, what is the hidden agenda? Surely this bylaw isn't being constructed for the purpose of optics. What good is an unenforceable law? Is there a shortage of things to do at city hall? I understand people with vision but really, a bylaw that council was told would be non-enforceable and was recommended against imposing. Is this about something else that we aren't being told?
What I find a bit unsettling is how does a city grow with laws on water usage? How does the city allow a water-hungry car wash in a residential neighbourhood then turn around and tell its residents that they must restrict the amount of water they use, so you can’t wash your own car on the driveway but you can drive across the street and pay to wash it? Odd, don't you think?
Seems to me that very little thought has been put into this. I am sure there must be more pressing issues that need to be dealt with.
I congratulate the two councillors who recognized the stupidity of this bylaw and shame on the others who aimlessly follow rather than take the advice of those who know what is right and what is wrong.
Bryce York, St. Albert
