Source: EconLog
by Richard McKenzie
“In a 2022 study, John McKenzie (at the time with a major water-pipe manufacturer) and I reported that LA-area residents, who live in a near-desert climate, pay lower water rates than people in states with four or more times SoCal’s annual rainfall. At the time, in Irvine, I paid less for a hundred cubic feet of water than the price of a large Snickers bar, which is one reason I and many Irvine residents maintain overgrown backyard plantings. Of course, low water rates have had several effects, including increasing the recent fire damage. The lower rates have induced people to use more water in a variety of ways, which has been a factor in draining the area’s reservoirs and making aerial water drops more difficult.” (02/11/25)
https://www.econlib.org/low-water-prices-mean-more-damage-from-la-fires/