Whether we knew it or not, Davis water is so bad that we’ll now have to triple our water bills just to correct the situation. Unless, of course, a majority of us file a formal protest, in triplicate — notarized, canonized and super-sized — letting the council know in no uncertain terms that we’ll buy our water in bulk at Costco before we let our rates go right through our rooftop solar panels.

One of those who seems likely to protest between now and the Sept. 6 deadline is my friend Bob on the Telescope Street, who writes, “I’ve been drinking our nasty Davis well water for over 30 years now.”

Never mind that he’s a newcomer, Bob has something to say here.

“I have found the best way is to use a strainer (or colander) to catch the minerals before you fill your drinking glass. It takes a few years, but then you acquire a taste for it. Bottled water seems so tasteless and odorless and boring.”

Plus, as an added bonus, all that hard water makes the world’s hardest ice cubes. Last twice as long as ordinary ice cubes on a hot summer day.

“It is nice we have an option to ‘vote’ (protest) changing over to the dirty Sacramento River for our water in 2017.”

Actually, Bob, I’ve had a chance to take a drink or two from the Sacramento River and it’s not all that bad. Of course, that was up at the headwaters of the mighty Sacramento in the city of Mount Shasta. Once that water reaches the city of Sacramento, drink it at your own risk.

Bob wonders if the transport from river to town requires “a large water pipe similar to those oil pipelines in Alaska that are destroying all wildlife. This huge water pipe will be going directly through the wildlife area in Yolo County.”

You mean Woodland?

“Interesting that the city has chosen to make it as difficult as possible to file a protest. The property owner has to include a copy of a current city services bill that shows they are property owners. Not as simple as casting a vote in the Measure A process.”

No point in making it easy for the will of the voters to be expressed, my friend. Even if we will be in compliance with Prop. 218. If you make it too easy, the voters might actually respond in great numbers and then the council’s hands will be tied. And if there’s one thing the council doesn’t like, it’s to have its hands tied.

“If they really wanted to make it fair to protest, or not protest, it would have been simple to include an insert with the City Services Bill that could be mailed back with a signature stating you are the current owner and whether you protest or not.”

Way too simple, Bob. Let’s be honest here. The council would prefer you not protest.

“Print on the bill ‘yes or no protest’ options and a signature line to state you are the current owner and mail it back.’ “

Again, way too many opportunities for citizens to express a negative opinion about what the council is bound and determined to do. Why make protesting easy when you’d rather not have any protests in the first place?

And suppose we do get a majority of Davisites to protest? What will we tell our water partners in the county seat about the fate of the “Woodland-Davis Clean Water” project? Will they now have to go it alone?

Funny, because if the council actually needed a majority of Davis citizens to endorse the water project before it could proceed, I’m sure the process for citizen involvement would be far less complicated.

The will of the people. A dangerous concept indeed.

— Reach Bob Dunning at [email protected] Comment on this column at www.davisenterprise.com

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