Being WaterWise LA - Part Deux

Ok so I got on a bit of a roll earlier in the week when I was talking about the current state of water, or lack thereof, in CA. Farmers are being forced to grow less and less. Reservoirs are depleted nearing all time lows - WE ARE IN TROUBLE.

Since that has not quite hit home with us everyday consumers yet, no one has really taken note. I mean it is impossible to read anything in the LA Times, MSN, CNN, anywhere really... without hearing something about the drought, and usually about the extreme drought here in the West.

So what are we going to do about it?!? Are there any programs put in place to help us navigate a sticky situation like this? Anybody telling us what we can do to help?

Let me start on a State level. Gov. Jerry Brown is using this opportunity to push his agenda to build two gigantic tunnels from the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta in NorCal all the way down here to us thirsty desert dwellers. The plan is slated to cost $15 billion and each tunnel is going to be about as wide as a two-lane highway. Proponents say it will stabilize the flow of water from the north to the fertile farm lands of central California all the way to us hot and thirsty SoCal'ers.

Opposition for this plan, and its overarching project - the Bay Delta Conservation Plan - comes mostly from northern California residents who think most of the water goes to this:

Instead of this:

California depends on its water for nearly $45 Billion in agricultural output each year.

So good ole' Gov. Brown is trying to dig some big ass tunnels down the middle of the state (probably directly under the tracks for his ridiculous bullet train) to bring water to SoCal. But what can we SoCal'ers that give a damn do down here right now to save water?

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) offers a few incentive programs to lower our water consumption as residential consumers. Install low flow toilets, water saving washing machines, moisture sensing sprinkler systems, rain barrels for water collection? Here's your rebate.

Want to go a step further and take the lawn out completely?? DWP is offering $2.00/square foot of turf removed. Get money back and put in a beautiful hardscape instead:

The point is, there are abundant opportunities to save water. Wash a full load of clothes or dishes. Water the lawn less or take it out completely, wash the car less often, take shorter showers. Whatever your solution, everything helps. We all need to take action before our beautiful slice of paradise looks like this, permanently:

Go to http://www.bewaterwise.com/ for more.

Cheers

TJ