The Mayor announced some new water restrictions today that might compromise the state of your lawn (maybe it's time to consider removing it). Jump below for all the restrictions:
Residents are prohibited from watering their lawns between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., and watering is limited to 15 minutes a day.
Residents are also prohibited from using a hose to wash off paved surfaces and must use a hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle when washing their cars.
Residential DWP customers who violate the rules will be fined $100, which is double the old fine of $50 for a first-time offense. The fine for businesses that violate the rules quadrupled to $200. Repeat residential offenders can be fined up to $300 and commercial customers up to $600.
The new city law also prohibits restaurants from serving water unless customers ask for it, and requires hotels and motels to give guests the option of re-using towels and linens.
Since we don't have a lawn, we don't wash our car at home and we don't typically hose anything down to clean it (we use a broom) this doesn't affect us much. Does it affect you? Will you have to change your ways to meet these new restrictions?
Don't have a lawn, but want to save water in the garden? Read up on 9 ways to save water in the garden.
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Comments (20)
Who again was the genius that decided to build L.A. in the middle of a virtual desert? I thought they tried to intergrate some sorta system out West to use potty water to water the lawn? Apparently potty water is a hot commodity as well.
I'm disappointed - this used to be a site about great, stylish apartment living. Now it's just one more wealthy house and garden site - AND loaded with adds. Guess it's not for me any more.
A: The same genius that decided to create sprawling cities in Las Vegas and Phoenix, etc. Apparently lots of us love living the desert! And we all can be more water-smart, i.e., taking shorter showers, planting drought-tolerant yards, using buckets to catch shower-water until it gets "hot" enough (then using it to water potted plants and gardens), etc.
Then again, I've heard they have excess water in the Chicago area. Perhaps they can send it out our way?
I agree godsfool, how many people who live in small apartments have huge lawns to worry about watering??????
I guess AT getting back to being about small apartment living is out of the question.
Who has a lawn in the city? Many of us don't even have cars!
I still love AT but wish that the re-posting of previous content would end. I don't mind the 'best of' recaps, but when an entire, 'newly edited' post comes around again, I lose interest.
Should I expect to see nothing but rock lawns or green astro turf on my next visit out west? I really thought that whole recylced potty water thing would've caught on and helped their water supply out by now. Guess not. What's hilarious is that California is the second largest producer of cotton and its ALL irrigated. Absurd if you ask me when the entire western half of the united states is rocked by droughts yearly.
I agree with these other commenters...this blog has gotten way off track. And whats with all the posts about Austin lately? I want info on apartment living in LA. Thats it.
We already adhere to most of the requirements and have a drought tolerant garden on a drip system. We do wash down our smallish deck once a week because we have a male dog who can't resist "lifting his leg" on our potted plants.
Good thing I live in Glendale, where the old schoolers still wash down the driveways and sidewalks (just kidding ha ha)
Why are people washing their own cars in their driveway anymore anyway? That should be outright banned to begin with. Letting the soap/cleaners run down the street into the storm drains is bad for the environment. PLUS the majority of the new car washes recycle their gray water..so why not just pay a few bucks and go to the local car wash and do everyone a favor.
I agree...this place sorta has gotten off track and seems to blog about just about anything but apartment/condo (small space) living. But what I don't understand is why it always has to be about L.A.? Austin is a cool town...why not pick up what's going on in other major cities? I don't live in any of the cities this place talks about....and if you saw the crap on craigslist for our city you'd probably die. People just haven't utilized it like other big cities on here have. Feed me what I want AP....
It is true that most people living in the city don't have lawns but there are places where houses do exist and thus, gardens and perhaps a spot of lawn. True, they may not be big yards, but they do exist.
It's unfortunate but so many people think that they have to soak their lawns with lots and lots of water - and they do so during the hottest parts of the day which is not a good idea for the water will evaporate quite rapidly. Best times are early morning or late afternoon/early evening.
Properly maintained lawns that are thatched etc will require much less water and the 15 minute watering should be OK to keep your grass from looking too brown, but if it does, it'll survive once the cooler/wetter weather returns.
I do agree that AT in general needs to return to the small sized homes and less the larger homes. Still and all, one can find ideas in every place featured and that is what matters to a large degree.
Before people b*tch too much about all the people who live in dry areas of the country, don't forget that if we didn't live here, we'd be crowding where you live. I'm sure you don't want to deal with 70 million people crowding your cities and competing with you for your state/natural resources.
We've all got drawbacks for living where we live regardless of where that might be. I could question the sanity of living in a hurricane zone, a tornado zone, a major flood plain, deadly heat indexes, etc., but I try to remember that "habitable" is in the eye of the beholder.
I live in God's Country...I think it's safe to say besides the occasional tornado that spins thru town we don't have many drawbacks. This is the perfect place to live....rural and big city life in one, plenty of trees and green grass, tons of lakes and streams, places to hike and tons of nature....quick access to other big cities. Move on down here...we've got plenty of room and lots of southern hospitality. :)
Anyone with a lawn this large should go broke watering it! I will remember this photo when Im paying 5 bucks a gallon for drinking water down the road.
my parents lawn is that large....but they don't water it. we get enough rain to keep it alive through out the year. the only thing we water is the 3 acre garden on the back side of the house...we sell to local fresh markets and never buy our own fruits and veggies. its the most wonderful thing my dad ever decided to do...he also stays out there 24/7. i'll have to upload pics sometime
enough with the whining already.
Come on people, the post was relevant and topical to those living in the City of Los Angeles. I do and attended a homeowner meeting tonight where this came up in anticipation of our building manager meeting with our commercial gardener.
Lil'Rock, your dad's garden sounds cool!
If you want to keep your grass, you can aerate the soil, give the lawn a thorough once a week watering to keep it alive, (albeit dormant) and dye it a gorgeous green color. Grass dyeing has come a long way and is a welcome solution to people who like having a lawn or can't afford artificial turf or some of the other alternatives.