A very typical scene when walking down the street in the morning. This is in Southern California and people are just not getting the message. California is in a water crisis. We are approaching our third year of drought. According to the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), “The Sierra snowpack – a critical source of water for much of California – is at just 61% of average for this time of year.” This sets a chain reaction in place. The latest from the ACWA explains that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources have notified agricultural contractors they can count on receiving a 50% to 15% of their requested water supply. This is already affecting agricultural prices for the coming year. Currently, counties across California are not consistent with their approach. Most of the conservation efforts are voluntary.
The Water Problem
People need to understand the real issue. The average home in California uses 70,080 gallons per year. Right now we are using our drinking water to water our lawns and flush our toilets. 50% to 80% of our homes water usage is used outside our home to water our lawns and plants. Right now there isn’t any restrictions as to what plants we buy and sprinklers we use. We have an efficiency problem.
Because of growth and suburban expansion, our water infrastructure is strained. We are using more water than can be recharged. Aqua firs are drying up, reservoirs are being depleted, but the usage goes unabated. This will result in scarcity. You thought the oil issue was bad, wait till we start running out of water. Inevitably we will see a rise in conflict and inflation. Agricultural areas that depend on large amounts of water will be unsustainable and so those industries will move out of state and out of the country. Prices for all agricultural goods will go up significantly.
How do we fix the problem?
The obvious answer is to use less water, but how? There are many things we can do right now. Here is a short list,
- Reduce outside water usage – this is where the bulk of a homes water is used. Change out all sprinkler head systems to drip systems. The cost is minimal and there are conversion kits at your local home and garden center. Evaporation is the main culprit here, evaporating up to 50% of the water sprayed out on lawns and plants.
- Store your rainwater – Your roof is a huge reservoir. With just a half inch of rain a 1000 square foot roof can yield up to 300 gallons of water. The annual rainfall in Southern California can be up to 8 inches, so that is 4,800 gallons of water per year you could be storing! Considering that we use up to 50% of our water usage for outside that’s taking a considerable chunk out of the average 35,000 gallons of water each home in California uses per year.
- Reduce your usage – Installing low-flow shower heads and aerators can reduce your in-house water consumption by as much as 50%. This will save you time, money and reduce stress on the system.
The overall energy crisis includes water and power. Right now the majority of the burden has been put on the water utilities to make sacrifices. It is only a matter of time until it is passed down to the rest of us. We all have to plan for better conservation, why not start now?
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