Worldwide drought conditions in Australia, Argentina, China and USA are leading some governments to come up with creative solutions.

Householders would be charged for each flush under a radical new toilet tax designed to help beat the drought.

The scheme would replace the current system, which sees sewage charges based on a home’s value – not its waste water output.

Look, I’m no hippie, but the fact is the world is going through a drought that could potentially impact agriculture around the globe. Some individuals simply find it necessary to water their lawns twice a day, at an hour a pop. Others flush the toilet 15 times a day or take a jet-spa bath every night. I’m all for it if you’re willing to pay for it.

The reform would see the abolition of the property-based charge with one based on a pay-as-you-go rate and a small fixed annual fee to cover the cost of meter readings and pipeline maintenance, Professor Young said.

The pay-as-you-go rate would provide financial savings for those who reduce their waste water output.

Some would argue that we already pay a fee for the water use, but in most cases, the water coming in is handled by a different company than the water going out. Generally, sewage is handled by local governments. It kind of makes sense – why should i have to pay the same sewage fee as the next guy if he is using 10 times as much water as I am? Pay-Per-Flush might be the answer.

“It would encourage people to reduce their sewage output by taking shorter showers,recycling washing machine water or connecting rainwater tanks to internal plumbingto reduce their charges.”

“Some people may go as far as not flushing their toilet as often because the less sewage you produce, the less sewage rate you pay.”

Not only will this solution make each individual household responsible for its own crap, but it might help save water. Whether you choose to reduce your sewage now  or later is really what’s at stake. When bread is $10 a loaf because farmers can’t irrigate their fields, you’ll be cutting down on food anyway, thereby reducing your sewage. At least with Pay-Per-Flush, you have a choice.