Drought-stricken California – Thieves hijack water tanks, siphon private wells, illegally tap industrial pipelines
by: Ethan A. Huff
NaturalNews.com
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Special law enforcement task forces, believe it or not, are reportedly being deployed throughout California to deal with a new crime wave blossoming in what 10 years ago would have been a rather unlikely economic sector: water.
The water wars have apparently already begun, as police battle a growing “gray market” for stolen water, with thieves now hijacking water tanks, siphoning private wells and even digging under city streets to illegally tap into industrial water pipelines, according to reports.
Persistent drought conditions followed by one of the worst rainy seasons on record is elevating the value of water resources in the Golden State to that of, well, gold. And a decree by California Governor Jerry Brown for businesses and residents to cut water usage by 25% is only further driving this water rush.
“The drought is driving the price of water up and you’re starting to see people who are desperate for it willing to get it any way they can,” stated John Coleman, a board member at the East Bay Municipal Utility District, to The Daily Beast.
A tanker truck containing 500 gallons of water was recently stolen from a median where it was idling in Oakland, which is located in Coleman’s jurisdiction. The thief has yet to be identified.
“We’ve had situations in the past where people have stolen from their neighbor’s houses when they’re gone to some folks who didn’t want to pay for the water and dug under the street and tapped into the main line.”
Water shortages driving emerging “gray market” for stolen H2O
The Rest…HERE
