Love thy neighbor, unless they cheat on NJ water restrictions

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection hasn’t issued statewide mandatory water restrictions yet, but conditions are abnormally dry in almost half the state. Which means many towns on their own are already setting rules and restrictions for water use.

Pennsville for example has put all residents and businesses under mandatory restrictions until further notice. Those include no washing your car whatsoever except for commercial car washes.

The northern end of town may only water their lawns on even-numbered days and the southern end on odd-numbered days, and both only for no longer than 45 minutes. A violation can result in anything from a warning to a $500 fine.

Denville is doing their restrictions according to the house address. Even numbers may water lawns on even-numbered days and odd on odd.

Vineland has called for voluntary cutbacks in water use. As the heatwave dries out New Jersey don’t be surprised if more and more towns impose mandates.

Which brings the question, what will people do if they see a neighbor washing their car or if they catch Jim at 23 Any Road watering his lawn on an even-numbered day?

Will they make a call to the township? Or will they mind their own business? Or is making that call minding your business since a drought affects everyone?

Ah, the moral dilemma.

I seem to recall a drought in New Jersey in the late 90s when there were water restrictions and people were turning each other in like there was a bounty attached. When phone lines are set up for residents to use anonymously rather than have a face-to-face talk with the neighbor in violation it makes it easy.

But should we?

We live in a time where we often don’t know our neighbors anymore. Just living in close proximity isn’t what makes a neighborhood a neighborhood. It’s getting to know each other.

Understanding no one is perfect. Maybe learning the woman at that odd-numbered house is a single mom of a special needs daughter who can’t be left alone for five minutes while she’s out moving around lawn sprinklers and mom’s schedule only works if she can do it today when her ex has the kid.

I would do what I can to save water, but I’ll leave enforcement up to the township.

By the way, here are a few water-saving tips for all of us no matter your town’s situation…

• Take shorter showers
• Install low-flow shower heads
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
• Defrost frozen foods in the fridge rather than running them under water
• Only run dishwashers when they are full, and the same for washing machines

LOOK: COST OF RENTING OR OWNING A HOME IN NJ IS ABSOLUTELY CRUSHING US

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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