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© St. Petersburg Times, published January 24, 2001
Editor: Re: Recycling is a proposal too good to throw out, Jan. 17 Hernando Times editorial:
We were not among the 47,000 households that received surveys on recycling because we have no water bill. However, we do recycle and have an interest in the issue.
Along with everybody else, we now have twice weekly curbside trash pickup. While twice weekly pickup is nice, there are only two people in our household and we don't really need it, particularly since we recycle and compost what we can. Our household would be better served if one of those pickups were converted to a recycling pickup and, yes, we are willing to pay a small fee for the service.
There is some cost involved in money and time to take our recyclables to a county recycling center and a small fee for curbside service makes sense to us. Hernando County needs to offer this service as part of a modern, attractive place to live.
-- Marlene and Cecil Bradley, Masaryktown
Editor: Re: Water in short supply, yet gallons dumped daily, Jan. 17 letter to the editor:
Mr. Wido, I understand that Weeki Wachee is one of the last unspoiled resources we have in Hernando County, maybe soon in all Florida, so why don't you just destroy it now? After you are done taking the water, there are quite a few native plants and trees you could cut down to use in your fireplace. While you are at it, you could hunt the peaceful endangered manatees for food.
Every day, twice a day, I walk my dog in my neighborhood (yes, I do pick up after him) and every day I can show you at least 15 watering violations in the span of about 45 minutes. Are you one of these people, Mr. Wido? It breaks my heart to see the gallons of water running into the sewer. It probably is polluted from all the pesticides that are sprayed on each perfect little green lawn.
Everywhere you look a house is being plonked down on every square inch of land. Where is the water coming from for these people to water their new sod 24 hours a day? If you really cared, you would push for better enforcement of the watering rules, or go after the county and city planners who allow the overbuilding.
Why don't you look to the source of the problem of the water shortage and leave us alone?
-- Carol A. Vigneault, Spring Hill
Editor: Re: Children's book removed, Jan. 18 Hernando Times:
I am appalled the School Board would constantly let these overly zealous people dictate how they feel things are offending our young people in this country. How can you come to the conclusion that the guns and violence that affect our youth of today is caused by them reading books? It seems to me the problem is ignorance.
I only wish more young people would pick up a book. I do not feel you can let them do that when classics are being taken off the school library shelves. If we teach our children that they are to use their better judgment and not to close themselves off to a world around them, we will see a positive force in our young people. They need to know they can come to adults and talk and not be shut out by small-minded views.
It is unfair to all the youth if we pick out one sentence in a book that has been read by millions of people and condemn the entire book because of that. I hope more people will speak up and let their opposition be heard.
-- Marie Austin, Spring Hill
Editor: Re: Hernando County Utilities Department's proposed seasonal residential water rate increase:
In its December billing, the Utilities Department asked for comments regarding its proposed seasonal residential water billing increase. They are proposing water rate increases as a solution to the county water supply problems associated with the drought. However, they have not provided any information on their usage of the increased revenue. Also, they have not provided any meaningful information to support their theory that increasing water rates for three months will curb residential usage.
My understanding from reading local periodicals is that Hernando County is the worst county water usage abuser, along with the unincorporated county communities. What is the Utilities Department planning to do to control its water consumption problem? Also, published information indicates that Tampa overpumps its wells in the county. Tampa stated fines are just a matter of doing business. Why isn't usage monitored daily and curtailed when overpumping occurs, instead of minor, after-the-fact fines?
If the Utilities Department increases monthly fees, it will provide substantial additional justification for residential water wells. Currently these have about an 18-24 month payout vs. the Utilities Department's monthly bill. Is it the Utilities Department's intention to further improve these economics for residential wells to less than 12 months? How would this shift to residential wells fit in with the department's goals?
The Utilities Department needs to formulate a business plan to relieve our water shortage problem. Hoping for a weather change is not a business plan. They need to enforce with authority the pumping withdrawal rates of all commercial water usage. Also, what's the point of installing connections to the county system, which allow withdrawal rates that cause a usage problem within the system?
I believe the Utilities Department is just using the drought to boost revenues. They are not addressing the real problems with commercial users, county population growth, etc. Increasing rates will have a negative impact on the county system, in that residential customers will continue the shift to water wells.
-- Ernie Zullo, Weeki Wachee
Editor: Re: Water in short supply, yet gallons dumped daily, Jan. 17 letter to the editor:
Some people think the Weeki Wachee Spring is only a place where water comes out of the ground, forgetting it also forms an ecosystem upon which many forms of life depend. The Weeki Wachee Spring is producing less than one-half its normal flow due to the drought. It is suffering already.
We have destroyed the Everglades. Do we now have to kill our springs so we can have green lawns? The water problems are critical, and the answers complex, but can't we leave this unique little part of Florida alone?
I trust this is a satisfactory reply to the author, because when human needs are at the expense of nature, we are bound to lose.
-- R. Hodges, Weeki Wachee