I find it very disturbing that in the throes of a drought (yes, we are still in one) that our esteemed water company is dumping hundreds/thousands of gallons of water down the street of Cerro Alto and Golden Eagle Blvd.

I have witnessed this three times in the past approximately 10 days. First I was told by a Chaparral water employee that they were flushing the system because the water was stagnant.

Then I was told by Brigette, “acting supervisor,” that the fire department asked them to do it because repairs had been made and there was air in the line that needed to be flushed out and some residents had complained.

According to Don Long, superintendent of Chapparal Water, this is a weekly practice to flush the system and then take samples to ensure our water is safe.

Is this something I should be doing at home before drinking my water -- flushing, then drinking? Is there no better way to utilize the water than to waste it down a street?

Perhaps a car wash to benefit Boys and Girls Club or refill someone’s pool to replace their “old” water?

I am sure the residents can come up with a dozen other ways to utilize this water. Don reassured me the water is flowing into the aquifer at the end of Cerro Alto. Tell that to the people of California.

Why in the 30-plus years as a resident have I never seen this before? I can understand why they are asking for a 35 percent rate hike; they will need it to import water for our town.