News Flash: Angelenos Not Keen on Reducing Water Consumption
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 12.11.07
Angelenos are known for two things: their love for Tinseltown and the fast life; and their insatiable thirst for water.
The latter aspect was again shown to be true at a meeting held this week in which it was revealed that water use in Los Angeles remained flat through October, despite Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's call 6 months ago for a voluntary 10% cut. Not surprisingly, city officials and environmental leaders are urging the mayor to impose mandatory restrictions similar to those implemented in Long Beach, that led to substantial savings.
Villaraigosa signaled his tentative support for such a measure - stating that he would act to declare a state of drought if the science supported it. In a perplexing move - given the circumstances - water authorities have said that they plan on waiting several more months to see if supplies improve before adopting "harsher measures" (a euphemism, if ever we saw one).
Anyone who lives in Los Angeles, or Southern California, for that matter, knows just how much water is wasted every day - especially on lawn sprinkling and car washing. City officials should take the initiative and begin an immediate push for stronger conservation measures; voluntary programs just won't cut it anymore.
Long Beach's example shows that - with the right motivation and information - residents can be made to cut back on their use. With L.A.'s 3.8m residents, even slight cutbacks in water consumption would go a long ways towards generating large savings.
Via ::Los Angeles Times: L.A.'s water savings are just a drop in the bucket (newspaper)
See also: ::Southern California Facing "Perfect Drought", ::Water Shortages Hit Long Beach
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Unfortunately, we down here in San Diego aren't doing any better: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071210/news_1m10water.html
Anybody who lived through the last major drought in the region is probably doing their part, but those new to the region, lured by the lush green laws and parks, probably, unfortunately, really don't understand. That is why asking for voluntary reduction without correlating education does not work. Public knowledge is missing and our public officials are too afraid to raise the alarm for fear in loosing business and tourist dollars.
Education is the key.
Well it is hard for me to justify all my water-saving techniques when I jog past 2 lush golf courses every day. I try, but I'm not going to watch my garden die while my local country club enjoys a lush lawn in August. I know that is not an excuse, and I would welcome county-wide water regulations being enforced.
I live in LA.
I haven't seen a single new billboard, bus ad, or otherwise written request for citizens to reduce water use.
I haven't seen any new "If it's yellow, let it mellow..." signs displayed at eye level upon entering the bathroom in my friend's homes.
I haven't seen a brown lawn.
I haven't seen a really dirty car.
I have been brought water in nearly every restaurant I have eaten at since I moved here in 1995.
I'm from Ventura, CA. It is 58 miles north of LA.
Every house had a water allowance and were you to exceed that amount you were fined heavily.
Los Angeles has wasted time not dealing with wasted water, that's for sure.
I so agree with you, IIP! LA is not dealing with the problem.
The whole city seems to be in denial - just look at what people grow in front of their houses. I only know two yards in my neighborhood where the owners planted draught tolerant vegetation. The rest is all lawns, lawns, lawns. It's insane.
And, even though I like the nice splashing sound, the most frustrating thing is to bike through streams of runoff water...