Why the fuck do they have lawns in the first place? You live in as close to a desert as Canada has, lay out some gravel, throw a cactus or two in, and call it a day.

the water restrictions makes sense considering the horrifying wildfires that's occurred in previous years

• in combination with droughts due to global warming, the argument for watering lawns makes much less sense as the priority has heavily shifted to needs than wants

"It's really simple. If you don't have water, you don't have a town. It's that simple. It's over."

yup

Step one fines. Fines should be based on income. So rather than a $25 fine a $25% of your income fine. This would get people's attention. Step two a threat of shut off and double the fine. Step three shut off water and increase the fine. This is not an unsolvable problem it just needs the will to proceed.

This is the best summary I could come up with:

Extreme drought conditions and the likelihood of another challenging fire season have prompted a community in one of the driest parts of the province to start managing its water supply early — and turning off the taps for people who don't follow the rules.

Mayor Michael Goetz said he's anxious about the months ahead, knowing the snowpack is the lowest ever recorded at this time of year.

According to Agriculture Canada, the Merritt area, about 200 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, is facing a severe drought.

By starting at Level 3 now, Goetz hopes the city won't have to enact tougher restrictions later in the year.

In previous years, the city has fined people who haven't followed watering restrictions.

Linda Warner, a Merritt resident, said she's thrilled the city is being proactive about conserving water now, rather than reacting when things are hot and dry.

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