Letter: Water policies need to change

Re: “Early morning water main break causes flooding and road delays,” burbankleader.com, Dec. 7. The recent water main break in the area should suggest a need to rethink the status quo.

Change, including more competition with how the area’s water systems are managed, must be put into place now to prevent taxpayers and ratepayers from paying exorbitant utility bills and huge liabilities in the future.

A recent study by the National Taxpayers Union found that nearly a half trillion dollars in government expenditures could be saved over the next 40 years through the adoption of open procurement for pipe materials and better asset management. The Mayors Water Council of the U.S. Conference of Mayors has also supported these proposals.

Public officials here and in communities across the nation should strive for water policies that deliver the highest possible level of accountability to taxpayers and ratepayers.

Pete Sepp
Alexandria, Va.

Editor’s Note: The writer is executive vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, a nonpartisan citizens group.