Wasted Water

Last week, The Advance published a photo of a local fast-food chain that continues to water its parking lot despite the fact that we’re living through a drought, with our reservoirs (Falcon and Amistad) still near record low levels. Despite a welcome rain bump last month (September), they’re still low, low, low.

Combined U.S. storage (both reservoirs combined) is down to 20.8 percent of full capacity.

Six months ago, they were at 21.28 percent. (Source: IBWC.)

No matter, the blacktop/concrete in the parking lot must be watered, so that when a dirty diaper gets left behind, at least something is clean.

That’s just a guess as to why some businesses, mainly fast-food restaurants, continue to water their parking lots despite water being so precious at the moment.

Lately, around the RGV, you see more movement, finally, meant to address water concerns, whether it be a city’s ability to tap into the Gulf Coast aquifer beneath the RGV (McAllen) or a local committee recently formed, led by former McAllen City Manager Roy Rodriguez, to come up with viable solutions moving forward (e.g., a desalinization plant). Maybe find the money to modernize local irrigation districts (underground pipes, etc.) so that less water is lost to surface evaporation, and the simple dirt canals that crisscross the RGV can at least be fitted with concrete beds, as opposed to simple old-school dirt.

Of course, we’d have to quit sending so many American taxpayer dollars to foreign countries and invest in our own wellbeing, but that’s never going to happen, so why digress?

Meanwhile, water conservation is being discussed more, because the wet months are coming to an end, and for local farmers, it looks like 2025 will be the second year in a row that many of them don’t plant a crop. (No water available at many irrigation districts.)

In the meantime, an Advance reader sent in a photo last week of water standing in the parking lot of a local fast-food restaurant. It’s the Whataburger in Edinburg at the intersection of University and the expressway.

Doesn’t matter which fast-food place it is, or in what city, most of them do the very same thing — water the parking lot.

Why not just sweep it instead, pick up the dirty diapers, the litter, the trash, and save the water?

With this week’s photo came this email from the sender, published in part: “Thank you, Advance, for posting the picture and article of the Whataburger on University/281 Expwy hosing down the parking lot.

“Unfortunately, the practice continues as seen in this photo, with the employee watering the parking lot. Seems like the city of Edinburg refuses to address the problem, but they have recently enacted regulations concerning car wash business, see how that goes.”

Note: After seeing Florida this summer, there probably aren’t too many of us still wishing for a hurricane to fill the reservoirs, so we pray for a week of steady rain. Mexico will not pay us what it owes, per the 1944 Water Treaty. In fact, they have said that they don’t believe the treaty obligates them to do so. Meaning, whatever area leaders do to address the lack of water amidst a booming, growing economy, they need to do it pretty darn fast, and without parroting the same old mantra: Mexico needs to pay us what it owes us.

Point of fact, Mexico’s reservoirs are so low now, the water levels are lower than the amount they owe us, and that’s not counting the water used on the Mexican side.

The reservoir levels continue to drop. Some politicians continue to spout meaningless dribble, and the parking lots at many fast-food restaurants continue to be watered daily.

Moral to this story: Some things never change.

It’s an uncertainty whether any city can limit the use of water with a handheld hose. Maybe they can, but all of the water restrictions seen so far exclude a hand hose.

Outlaw the watering of parking lots would be nice, and it would make sense, but I bet cities can’t restrict it. Maybe we’ll find out. Need to call a city attorney.

AI Water Poem:

Just for fun, I wrote out a prompt for the AI software I use, asking for a poem about Whataburger and its wet parking lot.

Here’s what I got back. Not great, but not bad considering it was written in less than five seconds:

A Drought and a Dripping Lot

A Texas town, parched and dry,
Where water's scarce, a precious sigh.
Yet Whataburger, oh so bold,
Waters parking, cold and cold.

A wasteful sight, a dripping scene,
A thirsty land, a wasteful queen.
In drought-struck times, such acts seem wrong,
A careless deed, a mournful song.

The orange W, shining bright,
A symbol of excess, a wasteful sight.
In times of need, such acts should cease,
A plea for change, a plea for peace.

Let's use our water, wisely, well,
To quench the thirst, a sacred spell.
For in this land, where drought does reign,
Each drop of water, a precious gain.