PORCH PONDERINGS

Such Drama

I got an amazing notification that this BLOG was nominated for the 2024 Quills award in the Blogging category. Well, thank you for the nomination!

I do try to update my faithful few who read of my goings on in Roundup, MT as often as I can. Life is busy. But for me, that is good. I hate to be bored. I don't like to just sit around with nothing to do. I guess that goes back to my first real job all those many moons ago.

I worked in a diner in town, across from the county courthouse. Slow times, few and far between, were when you picked up a rag and wiped something down. Because, "If you have time to stand around you have time to clean." per the owner. So you find something to do or get relegated to doing something not too pleasant.

Big drama here right now is the increase in a few utility rates. The dump fees increased, and that unleashed a firestorm. But the rates hadn't been raised on over 10 years, so it was time. Now the water and sewer rates are being raised. So every household in Roundup got a very cryptic letter from the city about meter size and water flow and EDUs and your rate change.

Mercy me. So, I actually had to research what EDU means. Seems it means:
What is an Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU)?
An Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) is the typical volume and strength of the wastewater generated by a single family home. One EDU = 188 gallons of wastewater per day or 68,620 gallons per year with a strength factor of 1.0. This formula is for FY 2021/22 sewer service charges.

HUH??? Now the letter addresses the EDU issue in water usage, not sewer. The person in the city office who wrote the letter is getting numerous complaints and comments by phone and on the internet. So it stands to reason, if you know what the terms mean it makes sense, but if your audience doesn't, be ready for some pushback. She acknowledges that perhaps she didn't do a good job of explaining the issue.

Writing is important people. Not just fiction, but as this goes to show, explaining everyday problems and situations to others.

The new water rates are to help fund a new source coming into town. Our current source of water is bad, as are most water wells in the area. Our city water is heavy in minerals, manganese and iron mostly. It smells bad, looks bad, wears out appliances and fixtures in your home in a few years. We have a filter system in our house and drink reverse osmosis water.

The good part of all this, the upside, no more bottled water for everyone in town. Hurrah! I hate plastic, I use a metal water bottle and refill it at home. We don't buy all that plastic. So people should rejoice they don't have to do that any more.

On a lighter note, the weather is changing. The sun has turned to a different path. Temperatures are a little more moderate. The garden is full of spaghetti squash, all volunteer plants. How did that happen??? Well, I threw out a rotten one early in the spring. Voilá! 20 squash now ripening. Grasshoppers are eating everything. Kids are back in school today.

Fall is almost here.