We've been hearing a lot about how 2007 is well on its way to becoming the driest year since annual rainfall has been recorded (only 29% of normal!).
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is now asking LA residents to do their part in helping conserve water this summer by reducing water use by 10% by taking shorter showers, not hosing down sidewalks, not using the toilet as wastebasket, less garden and lawn watering, operating washing machine and dishwaters with only full loads and to fix leaky faucets and pipes. Whether there is a drought or not, water conservation is a good idea for a city whose water needs are growing each and every day. Here are some more indoor water conservation tips and hoping this summer doesn't get too hot. [via Los Angeles Times]
What he needs to do if he's serious is impose a quota. Go over the quota, and the bill goes up. And to discourage the rich from abusing the situation, if the quota is exceeded by some amount consistently, then service gets disconnected.
When I lived in the bay area several years ago, that's what was done then.
If I was in charge, I'd give major tax breaks for any company to develop a commercially feasible desalinization plant.
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Water rationing was in place during much of my childhood in Marin and Santa Barbara; both places would cut you off if you went over the alloted amount. Most people were really good at cutting back, becoming ultra-conservative in their use. I absolutely remember seeing people spray paint their lawns green and dust off their cars instead of washing them.
I agree with Boomer about the desalinization; we don't have that many other options.
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If you have a waterhogging lawn, please consider tearing out it or reducing the size of it and replace with native plants.
so, what kind of plants are native plants? check out these sites
http://www.theodorepayne.org/
http://www.laspilitas.com
http://www.cnps.org/
If you are in the Santa Monica area check out the two houses on the south side of SMC's campus. One house is planted the traditional American ideal with nonnatives and the other with natives. The difference in water usage is astounding.
http://santa-monica.org/epd/news/GardenGarden.htm
http://www.smgov.net/epd/residents/Water/pdf/GG_Project_Description2006.pdf
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