Well, water has been a hot topic throughout millennia. The Egyptians used it to move paddle wheels and irrigate the desert. The Romans built aqueducts to move large quantities over long distances. Rivers have defined boundaries and water rights have been the root cause of wars both big and small . . .

Last year it was drought in the Deep South . . . Again.

This year it is flooding in the Midwest . . . Again.

In those flood regions, time after time people rebuild and look to make better levees to contain the inevitably rising waters. At the same time, the floods are recharging the depleted aquifers from which water for consumer and agriculture use is dependent.

When Georgia was hurting for water, it found a boundary stone that had been moved away from the river and argued that it be moved back so they could claim some of that water as their own.

The border between California and Arizona is defined by the Colorado River. Depending on which side you are on, that water belongs to the residents and depending on which statistic you read, the man-made lakes are either filling up or will be completely dry by 2012.

Back in the late 1980s and early 90s in Florida there was a movement to shut down the water features because the rain was not falling, or at least what was falling was not being captured for the long term.

Same thing with the Deep South last year . . . In that region water falls so regularly that when it stops raining for six months the stored supply goes dry.

Water use and water management are constantly in the news, so now it is no surprise that the EPA is getting into the fray and suggesting that all water features built for aesthetic reasons should be banned.

That?EUR??,,????'???s right, according to the EPA Water Sense New Homes Specification 4.1.4.

Ornamental Water Features – This specification establishes that builders shall not install or facilitate the installation of ornamental water features. Ornamental water features are defined as fountains, ponds, waterfalls, man-made streams and other decorative water related constructions provided solely for aesthetic or beautification purposes. Because these water features serve no functional or practical purpose their water use is not considered efficient.

Evidently the deadline for comments to the EPA draft document is July 21, 2008.

After that time it is possible that the EPA will set into motion recommendations that water features be banned throughout the nation.

This, of course, is nothing more than a band-aid solution and nothing less than a waste of taxpayer money and EPA time.

Do backyard water features really use and waste so much water that a national ordinance needs to be put in place? Does this mean that swimming pools are to banned as well?

For the EPA to get involved in residential water features is like the military getting involved in marital disputes . . . Unless, of course, they are trying to take baby steps into the bigger arena of commercial water features.

Do backyard water features really use and waste so much water that a national ordinance needs to be put in place? Does this mean that swimming pools and bird baths are to banned as well?

For the EPA to get involved in residential water features is like the military getting involved in marital disputes . . . Unless, of course, they are trying to take baby steps into the bigger arena of commercial water features.

Even worse, though, is that a new association, the IPPCA, is responding to the EPA by proposing the EPA add language that water features ?EUR??,,????'??shall meet one or more of the following specifications?EUR??,,????'?? to ?EUR??,,????'??insure that an ornamental water feature would be functional and serve a positive purpose?EUR??,,????'?? . . .

Talk about opening a proverbial Can of Worms . . . Regardless of what criteria you place on these water features, you or your client will have to argue with the city that the bird bath serves a positive function?!?

As with Florida, the root cause for the movement to shut down water features is the general population seeing decorative running water while being told to conserve.

Rather than respond by adding to the bureaucracy, any involved professional or association should argue to the EPA that backyard water features are not in their domain.

Is water an important issue . . . Absolutely. Do we really need the EPA treating residential water features like the next Spotted Owl . . . Absolutely not!

What is important is whatever water is used in your landscape should be used in such a manner as to maximize its efficiency. Of course the landscape industry is the original ?EUR??,,????'??Green?EUR??,,????'?? industry. As such, the EPA should have better things to do than mess around with your backyard . . .

?EUR??,,????'??+God Bless