A few years ago when I heard that the city was installing water meters on all the homes in town, I knew that it was going to have nothing to do with water conservation, and everything to do with getting money out of our pockets.

This spring, actually almost summer this year with all the rain we had, I adjusted my landscape irrigation so that I would use as close to the maximum gallonage in 31 days without having to pay extra. My wife says I’m cheap, I say I’m frugal.

Low and behold, this summer I have found out that we have had two months with 36 days in it, which has ended up costing us an extra $17.29. Not much really, but you multiply that by the number of homes in town and it’s not chump change.

I just wonder how many 26-day months we will have this winter when we don’t water our yards, so that we can have some more 36-day months next summer.

— Jeff Faria