Doing what it takes to cut back water usage

An exception was taken with my recent letter about the connection between conserving water during the California drought and outdoor landscaping. Sure, household water usage only accounts for 10% of state water use, but half of that goes to landscaping. Regardless, households are being asked to cut back by 15%, and 35% in southern California. There will be penalties involved, so where are you supposed to cut back?

The state recommends taking shorter showers, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, and fixing leaks. Terrific, you’ve done that, now what?

Southern California water managers realize they can’t get through the year unless they slash usage by 35%. They have restricted outdoor watering to one day per week because no one can save that much water without cutting back on outdoor watering.

A new California regulation goes into effect this month halting irrigation of decorative or non-functional grass in commercial, industrial, and institutional settings. Why, because it’s a non-essential usage that can yield savings and make a difference.

During the last prolonged drought, Cal-Water offered incentives to remove lawns and replace them with drought-resistant plants and drip irrigation. Why? Because it was a usage, they could target that would actually make a difference.

I take pride in my yard, but I felt compelled to make changes to cut back on our water consumption. I didn’t like it, but I felt it was necessary. Removing our lawns was the most effective way for me to make the necessary cutbacks.

— Gary Janosz, Chico