And it’s going to be brutal:
As state officials announced that lowest-ever snowpack in the Sierra Nevada — the source of nearly a third of California’s fresh water — Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday said mandatory conservation measures would go into effect for the first time in history.
Among other actions, the governor’s executive order will require urban areas to reduce water use by 25 percent.
That’s an important point, by the way. From the executive order:
The State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) shall impose restrictions to achieve a statewide 25% reduction in potable urban water usage through February 28, 2016. These restrictions will require water suppliers to Californias cities and towns to reduce usage as compared to the amount used in 2013. These restrictions should consider the relative per capita water usage of each water suppliers’ Service area, and require that those areas with high per capita use achieve proportionally greater reductions than those with low use. The California Public Utilities Commission is requested to take similar action with respect to investor-owned utilities providing water services.
If I’m reading that correctly, a bunch of locales that have hitherto been largely unaffected by the drought are going to be screaming like stuck pigs. To be honest, though: I’m not entirely certain that I’m reading that correctly.,, I am apparently reading it correctly. The San Jose Mercury News:
So far, the impact of the drought has been felt most acutely by farmers, wildlife, and residents in lower income communities that rely on shallow wells.
Brown’s new order means much more aggressive conservation by residents of cities and towns.
Yup, there’s going to be screaming. And a lot of attempts at evasion. Man, it would purely be a shame if various liberal orgs and locales got caught trying to steal more than their fair share of the water…
Given the San Francisco sewer systems’ reaction to the roll-out of low-flow toilets (hint: it’s as bad as you’re thinking) I .. really wonder how L.A. will handle this.
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Mew
I live in the effected area and in an apartment where the water bill is included in the rent.
Should be interesting to see how the management deals with this. Not any landscaping that needs much water so how will they reduce?
probably just shut off the water for however long it takes.
I bet California’s Elite Ruling Class will have green lawns this summer, as well as the rich Hollywood types.
And I’ll bet that they make social media–name them and shame them!
The leaders in CA are lawless, so the people will be too.
You may be confusing cause and effect, but yes.
if this map is anywhere near accurate, it seems a little late in the game to be starting widespread crackdowns.
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Note that right most column. the worst area has gone from 4% to over 7% in just over a year.
Well, it’s been a warm winter, so a lot of the snowpack has already melted and is in the reservoirs. That’s why it’s showing Idaho in drought, despite us having a pretty good water year.
That said…
California is in a legitimately nasty drought, and has been draining its reservoirs with no thought of the future.
Desalination is not nearly as expensiv as it was. Israel claims to be doing for 40 cents/cubic meter (264 gallons). San Diego is near to starting up their desalination plant; Santa Barbara is about to restart theirs. CA needs to get busy and build desalination plants rather than spend money on a fast train.