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People are just going to have to face up to the fact that, for now - until this pattern changes, this state is largely desert. Just like much of the West has been for eons. They're going to have to choose between green lawns/boulevards/ample irrigation and taking showers/washing dishes. It's really quite simple.
It isn't quite that simple.
Watering lawns isn't what depleted the ground water sources, big users of water do that.
Consider this: Large water users are mostly grandfathered in with their water rights. They were given those rights because they were food producers and there is an argument for that.
But that isn't what is going on now. There are holders of water rights that instead of producing food are now selling the water and letting the land remain idle. The price of water and it being scare makes it more profitable to sell the water than to raise food crops.
These water rights aren't being used for the good of the many by being used to produce food AND by that generating profits for the water rights owners, they are now being used only to generate profits for the water right owner. That is a change in use and contrary to the intent of the water rights distribution.
As the ground water is depleted you will see problem as are seen elsewhere when ground water is depleted since it can't be replaced by even several years of average rainfall. It is like trying to drive from point A to B with a car that gets 30 MPG and when the tank is nearly empty filling it as if the car would get 60 MPG, you never get there and eventually run out because the amount you put in is always a deficit to the use.
This is not like droughts California has experienced in the past. This is unlike previous droughts. While such droughts have happened in history, it was before California was populated with humans which is now not the case nor is that going to change.
There are solutions to limited water supplies but the political will to use them hasn't yet found its way into the Governor's mind, it is easier to raise taxes, water rates and mandate people cut their water usage 25% and never say anything about the wine makers who deplete ground water supplies and so on.
Maybe California should just become a State of winos. All that would require is a waiver so you can drink wine and still drive.
If the drought persists, the politics won't matter... There won't be any water.
And we went through the problem in South Florida of water restrictions. Then the water company (really the county) was having a hard time financially because we were not using water...
There has to be a fair way to deal with the people that already voluntarily cut back. They asked us to voluntarily cut back during our drought years too and I always wondered what would happen if it became mandatory.
Right now, I hardly use any water at my house as it sits vacant most of the time - in that scenario what would happen if there was a mandatory 25% cut back and my usage was 10 gal a month on average? There needs to be some sort of logical target for everyone.
Just as if a house sells and 2 people sell their large house, because their kids are all gone and they don't need it anymore. And then a family of 8 moves in... Obviously the water use is going to drastically change.
Good idea even if it's year too late ( a testament to the incompetence of Governor Brown on this issue).
Now for the good news. Those that cut back voluntarily and cut as much as they could are faced with cutting back an additional 25%.
Now think about that. The cut back is going to be mandatory.
There is a good reason why people don't conserve voluntarily. Why conserve when a mandatory requirement doesn't take into account that you might have already done so on your own and really can't do more?
Just pay the fine please, that will teach you.
Yes indeed, many will learn that lesson. Next time, see what happens.
Mr. Brown could have done something years ago, he was in office then too. He did nothing. He did however, decide to build a high speed train to Bakersfield. There is nothing in Bakersfield that needs a high speed train.
The high speed train to nowhere.
Now you know what many people don't partake in voluntary conservation. In the end, people get punished for trying to help. Like water rates going up because revenues are down because people use less water.
Had they built scalable water supply systems infrastructure (yes, it can be done) then the maintenance costs would be scalable as well.
Fools all.
Is that reduction going to apply to Barbara Streisand, too? Just wondering, since she didn't think the A/C moratorium a few years back was meant for her .
No one has greener lawns than these celebrities lol.
All they need to do is this. Come up with 10 million dollars and offer 1 million dollars in cash to the 10 people who use the least amount of water in a certain time period.
Do you know how many people will use ZERO water to try and win the million? Enough people to make a big difference.
From what I heard we will have to reduce below 2013 usage so there is a break for those that just started last year.
Brought our use down 12% in 2013 and 18% in 2014. If I had to reduce 25% on top of the 20 I've done I'd really be in a hurt.
It's interesting how the water crisis has not put a dent in local home construction. In fact, it looks like they are working faster before some kind of building restriction is put in place. Within a 10 mile radius of me, I would guess than there are many thousands of new single and multi-unit dwellings under construction. Most home prices start above $600K! Is water included?
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