City Engineer Blames Girls' 'Long Showers' For Water Problem

VADNAIS HEIGHTS, MN — One city official landed himself in hot water this week after suggesting girls may be to blame for the town's high use of H2O. Vadnais Heights is under a court order to reduce residential water use. The Saint Paul suburb is one of 10 towns in the Twin Cities metro required to step up its water conservation efforts.

Among those 10 communities, Vadnais Heights is by far the worst offender, clocking in at 83 gallons per person (11 gallons higher than second-place Stillwater).

What could explain the city's wasteful ways? Town engineer Mark Graham hazarded a guess.

While admitting he wasn't sure why the water use is so high, Graham told the Vadnais Heights Press it may be because the city has more girls who take long showers.

The reaction to Graham's reported comment on social media was overwhelmingly negative.

"Is this a late April fools joke? This is so silly," tweeted Cait McGowan.

"In all seriousness, blaming "girls who take long showers" for water overuse is pretty mindblowing," wrote the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy.

The court order slapped on the city is aimed at stemming the falling water level of nearby White Bear Lake, where water is being pumped out at a faster rate than it's being replenished.

Read more at Vadnais Heights Press.

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