Conservation Efforts Work

Despite a former vice president's belief to the contrary, conservation efforts work quite well.  Case in point,  Los Angeles.  The LA Department of Water and Power reported on Tuesday that "despite a population growth of 1 million people, the residents and businesses of Los Angeles are using the same amount of water now that was used in 1979."  DWP noted that the average residential customer has cut water use by 29.2 percent the past 9 months following the institution of mandatory conservation limits.
 

"Our customers' ability to reach 1970's water use levels at a time when our city's population has grown by more than a million people is truly remarkable," DWP Board President Lee Kanon Alpert said. "Angelenos understand the urgency for water conservation.
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"Their actions show it, and we thank them for understanding the severity of the ongoing water crisis in our state."

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During the nine months that these restrictions have been in place, Angelenos have cut their water use by nearly 30 billion gallons -- enough to serve 231,000 households for a year, according to the DWP.  As a result, the DWP is slated to purchase 16 percent less water from the Metropolitan Water District than it had planned to, during the current fiscal year.

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The amount of water used last February was the lowest recorded water use during any February in 32 years, according to the DWP, which serves about 680,000 water customer accounts in Los Angeles.

It also marked the 31st consecutive month of reduced water use by the DWP's single-family residential customers. During that period, they collectively slashed consumption by about 30 percent, the DWP said.

"In a time when water resources are scarce throughout the state, Los Angeles is taking the lead and setting an example on how to conserve water and maintain a sustainable water supply," said James McDaniel, DWP's senior assistant general manager for its water system.

"The more we can rely on our city's available water resources, the better prepared we are to get through this water crisis as a state," McDaniel added.

Angelenos whose lawns are turning brown because of the water restrictions can take advantage of the DWP's turf removal program, which rebates customers $1 per square foot of lawn removed and replaced by drought- tolerant plants or permeable hardscape. The rebate limit is $2,000. (from NBC4-Los Angeles)