Hundreds lose water source in Colorado's poorest county with no notice

Payment, “paying into” vs just buying water

• Strong back‑and‑forth over whether rural cistern users “didn’t pay.”
• One side argues they only bought water by the gallon (no long‑term right or system investment), unlike in‑town ratepayers who fund infrastructure via taxes/fees.
• Others counter they did pay—often more per gallon than metered users—and in this case used ~1% of the water while contributing ~15% of the water system’s revenue, effectively subsidizing town users.

Governance, process, and abrupt cutoff

• Many see the 3–2 vote, not on the agenda and with no warning in peak summer, as procedurally illegitimate and ethically harsh.
• Defenders say the board represents town residents, not out‑of‑town users, and has a duty to protect a finite supply for its own voters.
• Several commenters think this was less about actual shortage (a pump failure that was being fixed) and more about officials mishandling public anger and “outsiders.”

Off‑grid living, risk, and responsibility

• Some criticize off‑grid buyers for moving to an arid, water‑stressed area without securing water rights or realistic backups, comparing their expectations to “cosplaying” self‑reliance.
• Others note many moved there because it was the only affordable option and relied on reassurances that trucked water was normal and stable.
• There’s wider reflection that rural living is expensive and risky (wells can cost $25k+ and still fail), and Americans often misjudge that risk.

Water law and Western scarcity

• Multiple comments describe Colorado and Western water law as arcane, based on prior appropriation and historical flows that no longer match reality.
• Discussion touches on exported alfalfa, municipal vs rural users, and longstanding conflicts over water rights; fiction like The Water Knife and The Tamarisk Hunter is cited as eerily relevant.

Markets, rights, and ethics

• One camp says utilities should price water to balance supply and demand, so waste (e.g., lawns) disappears before drinking water does.
• Others reject pure market allocation for a survival resource, invoking the human right to water and noting that the richest country is producing situations more familiar from the global south.

Suggested alternatives

• Ideas raised: price hikes instead of bans, dual potable/non‑potable systems, composting toilets, private tanker deliveries, well‑sharing (currently illegal in some places), and better advance planning and notice by local governments.