I’m an eternal optimist but when it comes to this drought that has a stranglehold on California, it is getting harder and harder to be so.

Earlier this year, the state appeared headed to an El Niño weather pattern that would bring additional rain to parts of the state this winter. But it has lost so much steam that Bill Patzert, a well-known climatologist from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, dubbed it “El Wimpo” as he showed satellite images reflecting a much weaker El Niño pattern in the Pacific Ocean to those gathered at the San Bernardino County Water Conference.

The images left by the drought are daunting; water in once healthy reservoirs across the state is retreating farther and farther from shore, revealing dry, cracked lakebeds. Residential rationing is happening in cities like Santa Cruz. Satellite images are showing a shocking loss of groundwater in California. The drought has moved fast and furious across the state this past year, leaving 82 percent in an “extreme drought” and more than half, at 58 percent, in the worst category known as an “exceptional drought,” according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor released Oct 9.

Thus, even though, I’m quite conscious of the water I use on a daily basis, I’m going to participate in the 4Liters Challenge, which was launched Oct. 6 by the Los Angeles-based human rights nonprofit DIGDEEP. Much like the ALS ice bucket challenge, this one challenges people to use only four liters to wash, drink and bathe for 24 hours, and then they can challenge four more people. According to the U.S. Geological Survey and others, the average American uses more than 400 liters of water at home.

Just the thought of living on 4 liters has got me thinking about how I’m using my water on a daily basis. It’s already pretty good, but could it be better? To know that I’m living within exactly 4 liters I will parcel out my daily water into four recycled, one-liter bottles. I’ll mark them for drinking, washing, bathing, brushing teeth, and other uses. I already use dry shampoo every other day so I’ll be sure to do that. I hope readers of Western Water will join me in taking the challenge. If so, you can check out the details at 4liters.org. And, you can find more tips on conserving water in and outside your home on our website: www.watereducation.org.

The drought can also do more than shrink reservoirs; it can cause salinity to creep further into the Delta, the hub of the state’s water supply. This issue of Western Water, which often looks at issues not highlighted in the general media, explores in-depth what is going on this year with salinity in the Delta. Be sure to let us know what you think after reading it.