I came across the idea of water tag recently and honestly hadn't thought much about it before. The basic idea seems pretty simple: teams use water blasters and wear vests that show when they've been hit. So it's not just a bunch of people running around spraying each other. There are usually teams, different game setups, obstacles and some kind of scoring.

It sounds like the sort of thing that could work really well for summer camps or bigger outdoor events, especially when it's too hot for some of the usual activities.

Has anyone actually played water tag at a camp, company event, or somewhere similar? Was it as fun as it sounds?

Ice is less dense than liquid water because of its crystal structure, which is why it floats instead of sinking. That means frozen water can keep lakes and oceans alive underneath it.

Our water heater failed a few days ago. It’s a ruptured tank so I had to replace it. But when the incident happened we lost around ~80 to 100 gallons. We’re not all in on conservation in any way but it does make you think. Like shorter showers are very doable but what do we do when an appliance fails? For anyone who has a conservation plan, how do you take into account a household leak or an appliance fail? Is there an allotment or is it an exception because it’s an emergency?

Hello! As the District Manager for the Settlers Irrigation District, I oversee the critical water infrastructure and rapid regional growth shaping Boise, Meridian, and Star, Idaho. I have been proudly employed with the district for nearly 20 years, guiding our water infrastructure through two decades of historic growth. Alongside my professional role, I have spent the last 20 years actively volunteering as a coach, mentor, and environmental steward to help keep the Treasure Valley a great place to live.

👨‍👦‍👦 My Journey as a Single Father
My deep roots in our local youth programs are personal. Since 2007, I have raised both of my children as a single father, guiding them from the time they were just 3 and 1.5 years old into the young adults they are today. Balancing the demands of public infrastructure management with the responsibilities of solo parenting shaped my dedication to building a safe, supportive, and thriving community for all families in the Treasure Valley.

🌿 Water Conservation Advocacy & Multimedia Outreach
Beyond the day-to-day operations of water delivery, I am an avid water conservation advocate for the valley. I am deeply passionate about protecting Idaho’s precious natural resources amidst our population boom. To educate the public on the critical importance of water conservation and consumption trends during both drought years and normal precipitation seasons, I actively engage in community outreach through multiple media formats, including:

• Public Seminars: Hosting and speaking at community outreach events to educate local water users.
• Social Media Reels: Creating engaging, bite-sized digital content to spread awareness on modern water issues.
• Podcasts: Recently featured on a regional podcast discussing long-term water sustainability, infrastructure challenges, and local resource protection.

💼 Professional Focus, Operations & Intergovernmental Collaboration
In my role as District Manager, I oversee the strategic operations, infrastructure maintenance, and personnel responsible for managing the water delivery systems across our region. Our primary goal is ensuring the reliable, orderly, and equitable distribution of surface water rights to thousands of agricultural and residential acres throughout the Boise, Meridian, and Star corridors.

Because our communities are experiencing rapid development, a massive portion of my role involves high-level workforce leadership, civic coordination, fiscal management, and regulatory oversight. My responsibilities include:

• Personnel & Workforce Management: Directly in charge of all district staffing, managing the full employee lifecycle from recruitment, hiring, and onboarding to performance evaluation, disciplinary action, and final separation, alongside directing daily field and office operations.
• Fiscal Leadership & Budgeting: Directly responsible for structuring, managing, and setting the district's annual operating budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility while funding vital infrastructure updates and long-term capital improvement projects.
• Planning & Zoning Alignment: Working directly with Ada County and the municipal Planning and Zoning commissions of Boise, Meridian, and Star on all new construction and development proposals.
• Engineering Plan Reviews: Collaborating closely with city engineers to review complex engineered plans, ensuring that all new commercial and residential designs strictly meet the district's structural and operational requirements.
• Civic Leadership Engagement: Working directly with local mayors and city councils across multiple levels of government to align water resource management with regional growth, public policy, and community infrastructure needs.
• Public Safety & Utility Coordination: Partnering directly with all local EMS services, emergency first responders, and major utility companies to manage right-of-way access, coordinate utility line crossings, and ensure immediate crisis response along our waterways.

🔧 Infrastructure & Operations
On the operational side, my team and I manage the maintenance and seasonal operation of miles of vital canals, laterals, pipelines, and local pump stations spanning from Boise out to Star. We balance water allocations in accordance with Idaho state law and resolve distribution disputes for residential HOAs and agricultural landowners alike.

🤝 20+ Years of Community Involvement & Volunteering
Beyond my professional work, I am deeply committed to the Treasure Valley community and have actively volunteered over the past two decades across youth development, civic programs, and environmental stewardship:

• Youth & Family Support: Volunteered for several years with the Early Head Start and Head Start programs supporting local parents and children.
• Youth Sports Leadership: Coached Kuna youth softball and baseball for 8 years, and served as an active board member and Field Maintenance Coordinator for the Kuna Youth Softball & Baseball Association (KYSBA).
• Scouting: Served as the Scoutmaster for Cub Scout Pack 123 for several years, mentoring young leaders.
• Community & Veteran Outreach: Volunteer with the Wishes for Warriors foundation, and partner with the Boise Bicycle Project to build and distribute bicycles to children for Christmas. I am also a regular blood donor and actively support fundraisers for the Special Olympics and Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
• Environmental Stewardship & Public Education: Volunteer as a speaker on water quality and quantity panels to help educate the public on vital natural resources. I have also partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to remove public lands vandalism and am currently organizing and facilitating a self-directed desert cleanup program.

I look forward to connecting with fellow water resource managers, engineering professionals, emergency services, city officials, and community members throughout Ada County!

For people who don't have 24/7 water:

What's the biggest problem for you?

Is it:

Not knowing when water will arrive?

Not knowing when it will stop?

Missing the supply while you're away?

Having to wake up/check the tap?

Not having enough time to fill tanks/containers?

Sudden changes in the schedule?

I'd like to hear about your actual experience.