The ongoing water crisis in California has sparked an apparent crime wave in some parts of the state, with desperate residents illegally taking water from fire hydrants in the middle of the night to keep their lawns green and their animals happy. Reports indicate that, in some areas, as much as 10 percent of the water supply has gone missing, presumably due to theft, a premonition of much worse things to come if rains remain at bay. The city of Lemoore, for instance, a community of some 25,000 people south of Fresno, has seen numerous water thefts in recent weeks — a growing black market for water amidst one of the worst droughts in California history. According to The Hanford Sentinel, thieves are believed to be attaching hoses to fire hydrants throughout the city and pumping water into large plastic tanks affixed to the back of trucks. This water is then resold in other areas, or used to maintain lawns and landscapes where water restrictions prevent such activity from occurring legally. According to Harlin Casida, the mayor of nearby Avenal, there has been a marked increase in the number of trucks with such tanks roving throughout the area.“We don’t know that we’re having a problem, but we’re seeing activity around fire hydrants,” stated Lemoore public works director Dave Wlaschin to the media. “It just makes you think.”
This post was published at Natural News on Monday, September 15, 2014.
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