Legislature 2008: Water Resources

At least some lawmakers are determined to revive and expand a short-lived program that aimed to measure the state's water supply and consumption by industry, residential systems and other users.

As The Associated Press reports, a legislative interim committee assigned to the issue is weighing proposals as other states in the region fight over drought-dwindled water supplies.

"But Lisa McClung, director of DEP’s Water and Waste Management Division, also estimated the annual cost of a sufficient effort at between $600,000 and $5 million," the article said.

The water survey program had to overcome concerns by business interests who feared it would lead to onerous regulations and even a tax on water (comments from Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan, helped fan those flames).

But Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley and the interim committee's co-chair, sounded ready to lead the charge.

"If we can’t protect this resource, we’re going to be hurting," Unger, a 2008 congressional candidate, was quoted as saying. "Those who object are only on the outside, who want to eventually exploit our resource. I’m convinced of that."