From the San Luis Obispo Tribune, in a commentary by Steve
Provost:
“Some people are already doing such a good job of conserving
that they’d be hard-pressed to reduce their water use further
unless they want to start adding paper plates to landfills or
coming to work smelling like Porky Pig.
“The tips are great, and they should be disseminated as widely
as possible. It’s the 20 percent figure that bothers me.
“Considering the uncertainty of long-term weather patterns, the
Northstar district, Truckee Donner Public Utility District and
Placer County Water Agency — which all depend on Martis Valley
and deep groundwater wells for water — are encouraging customers
to meet the 20 percent request.
“Windsor this week joined a growing list of cities declaring a
water shortage emergency and asking their residents to
conserve. The Town Council on Wednesday approved a
resolution seeking voluntary reductions in water use of 20
percent.
“Being a resort community, the Coachella Valley is full of
ornamental water features outside hotels, housing developments
and golf courses. …
“These types of features typically use water recycled through
their systems, but experts say they could hurt California’s
water conservation efforts if they’re left unchecked while the
state contends with a drought.”
“If you happen to notice that AT&T Inc.’s vehicles are
dirtier than normal, understand that it’s by design. The
telecom’s 34,000 employees in California have been told to reduce
their company water use by 30 percent until the state’s drought
emergency is lifted.”
“Our view: The drought hasn’t vanished because of one storm,
and everybody needs to do their part to quit wasting water.
“It’s easy to point fingers at water wasters during a drought.
A San Jose Mercury News article printed over the weekend and
posted on our website was an eye opener. A map showing water
use per capita demonstrated that inland areas used more water
than coastal areas.
“The historic drought is making average residents think twice
every time they turn on the tap, despite the weekend rain. But
there is nothing average about the way Californians consume
water: A little-known state database that measures water use in
every community shows huge — sometimes shocking — differences
between California’s water sippers and guzzlers.”
“Roseville residents are likely see dramatic price increases on
their water bills if a drought emergency is declared in the
city. …
“Like other
neighboring communities, Roseville for decades has sourced
water from Folsom Lake. But because of historic low water
levels, officials are working on a multipronged drought
plan.”
“If you’re about to do a renovation on your home, there’s
something you should know: If the house is more than 20 years old
and has water-wasting fixtures, you must replace them thanks to a
new state law being phased in this year.”
From the Los Angeles Times, in a column by Patt Morrison:
“If there are stars among the state’s water experts, Jay
Famiglietti is one, with titles too long for a marquee: a UC
Irvine professor of earth system science and head of the UC
Center for Hydrologic Modeling, and a new member of the Santa Ana
Regional Water Quality Control Board among them.”
“Fourteen months into a historic drought, with reservoirs
running low and the Sierra snowpack 27 percent of normal, a
growing number of Californians are wondering: Why isn’t
everyone being forced to ration?
“The sight is not uncommon in California: water moving slowly
across farm fields, in broad sheets or through a grid of ditches,
propelled only by the pull of gravity.”
“Over the course of this week’s World Ag Expo in Tulare, Shane
Shiplet and his staff at Valley Global Irrigation have spent a
lot of time speaking with farmers about water.
“But things have been different this week compared to past
expos.”
“Gov. Jerry Brown last month issued a drought emergency last
month and called for residents to cut their water consumption
by 20 percent.
“So what’s the best way to do that? According to Rita Schmidt
Sudman at the Sacramento-based Water Education Foundation, it’s
by reducing the amount of water used for landscaping.”
“With millions of people worried about California’s historic
drought, a proliferation of free apps turn water conservation
into a game while letting consumers save both water and money
around the house.”
From the Los Angeles Times, in a column by Steve Lopez:
“If somehow you missed the news that California is drier than a
stale tortilla, the Amber Alert signs have come to the rescue
with highway bulletins like this one:
“President Barack Obama is bringing additional drought aid with
him Friday, as he arrives in California’s stricken San Joaquin
Valley.
“The new assistance includes sped-up livestock disaster
assistance for California producers, provided under a newly
signed farm bill, as well as targeted conservation assistance,
watershed protection funds, additional summer feeding programs
and emergency community water grants.”
“Lady Gaga has a new message for all of her ‘little monsters’:
Save water. The five-time Grammy Award winner will soon be on
the air with a public service announcement urging Californians
to do their part to help with the state’s drought.
“So how did Lady Gaga become the new face of drought
awareness?”
“As California continues to struggle with severe drought
conditions, the city of Corning will start asking residents
here to curb their water use by 15 percent.
“The Corning City Council voted Tuesday to implement the first
stage of its water conservation program, which calls on the
city’s customers to voluntarily reduce their water use.”
