[bryanlarsen]

> fair distribution hardly matters

I'm not so sure. In most of the US if people only used water for drinking and bathing then water would be so abundant fair distribution wouldn't matter. But when it's free-ish then people abuse it and we have water shortages.

[lotsofpulp]

Fair is undefine-able. Is it a set volume of water per person? Or is it a set volume of water per person per kilogram? Is it different by gender? By age or physical ability?

For the purposes of distributing a limited resource, it seems a power law formula is most fair, with a sufficiently steep curve to keep total consumption within resource limits.

[bryanlarsen]

Fair is simple. Simple, but not easy. Charge a fair price for the water, and then make sure everybody starts with the same number of dollars.

[lotsofpulp]

That does not mean anything. How is it fair if large people get the same amount of water as small people? Or people who work jobs where they get dirty getting the same amount of water as office workers?

[bryanlarsen]

Not the same amount of water, the same amount of dollars. Huge difference.