Could it get this bad here?

An Australian man has been murdered for watering his lawn. The 66-year-old man died of injuries after he was assaulted by a passerby, who said he was "wasting water."

Water tensions are running high in Australia where strict conservation is in force due to an eight-year-long drought.

According to Terra Daily, Kenneth Proctor, 66, was watering his lawn when 36-year-old Todd Munter came along and made a comment about wasting water. Proctor soaked Munter with his hose and Munter responded by knocking Proctor to the ground and kicking him. Proctor suffered a heart attack and died later in a hospital.

The deceased man was not violating water restrictions. He was watering at a day and time allowed by Sydney Water. Neighbors said Proctor was "popular and a family man." 

Munter, who is now in custody, was described as "distraught and close to tears" when he appeared in court with his family.

Australia's water problems are so severe that the public is encouraged to report neighbors who break conservation rules, and rangers are on patrol with the authority to levy on-the-spot fines. 

There are important lessons to be learned from Australia that are relevant to San Diego's water woes. Sydney, for example, uses less water now than it did in 1974, even though the population has grown by one million (see our Summer 2008 Watchdog). UCAN's  Executive Director, Michael Shames, is in Australia now studying the drought's impact and actions the Aussies have employed during this challenge of Mother Nature.