California’s coast saves water, inland regions use more
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 18, 2010 at 6:44 amFrom the Mono-Logue:
“Last year the Public Policy Institute of California published an interactive map on its website. When you mouse over each hydrologic region of the state, it shows how the population and per capita urban water use in that region has changed since 1960. The map was released in December as part of a report on California Water Myths, which highlights eight common water myths.
Despite a steadily increasing population, most regions of the state began cutting back per-capita water use after the drought in the early 1990s. In fact, all regions used less water per capita in 2005 than in 1995. Population growth eroded these gains in 6 of the 10 regions. … “
Continue reading this article from the Mono-Logue by clicking here.
Storms haven’t washed away need to conserve, says commentary
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 18, 2010 at 4:38 amFrom the North County Times, this commentary by Greg Morrison of the Elsinore Water District:
“The recent rainstorms that pounded Southern California may have some people thinking our water worries are behind us. Think again. A winter’s worth of wet weather isn’t enough to compensate for three dry years of little to no rain. It took us a long time to get to this point, and it will take extraordinary measures to get us out.
The latest winter downpour thankfully helped revive some of our regional supplies, but our major reservoirs are still below acceptable levels.
For example, Diamond Valley Lake, the region’s emergency water supply, recently reported it added five inches to its water level during January and February.
However, the major Southern California reservoir still requires nearly 424,000 acre-feet of water to reach its capacity. Additionally, key reservoirs throughout the state were reported to have reached only 50 percent of their storage capacity as of late January. … “
Continue reading this commentary by clicking here.
Water leaks here costly, notes commentary
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 14, 2010 at 6:36 amFrom the Monterey County Herald, this commentary by Craig E. Anthony, general manager of California American Water:
“The Environmental Protection Agency has named March 15 – 21 “Fix a Leak Week” to encourage everyone to examine their plumbing for unknown leaks.
It’s an important message for people across the country, but having a water leak on the Monterey Peninsula is not like having a leak anywhere else.
That’s because severe restrictions on our water supply necessitate a rate structure where any water used beyond a modest amount is charged at high prices. This both encourages conservation and rewards those who are careful about water use. It has been effective in getting Peninsula residents to reduce water consumption by more than 30 percent over the past 20 years.
This year prices for excess use will be higher than ever. This should drive even further water conservation, which state regulators have demanded of our community. But it could also mean if you leave a leak unattended, you could receive a water bill in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. … “
Continue reading this commentary from the Monterey County Herald by clicking here.
The Realist Idealist: Trying to undress my ‘water footprint’
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 13, 2010 at 7:50 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“I used to look at my closet and see clothes. These days, whenever I cast my eyes upon the stacks of shoes and hangers of shirts, sweaters and jackets, I see water. Specifically, I see the “virtual water” used to make it all.
It takes 569 gallons to manufacture a T-shirt, from its start in the cotton fields to its appearance on store shelves. A pair of running shoes? 1,247 gallons.
Until last fall, I’d been oblivious to my “water footprint,” which is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce goods and services, according to the Water Footprint Network. The Dutch nonprofit has been working to raise awareness of freshwater scarcity since 2008, but it was through something called the “Green Blue Book,” by Thomas M. Kostigen, that I was able to see how my own actions factored in. … “
Continue reading this article from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Barry Nelson: Dam advocates make case for the virtual river
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 11, 2010 at 5:51 amFrom Barry Nelson at the NRDC Switchboard blog:
“This story in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times makes a compelling case for what NRDC calls the virtual river – new water supplies that can be tapped without pumping more from our overtaxed rivers. In fact, the dam advocates themselves make this case very persuasively.
As the article points out, some Central Valley growers are quite enthusiastic about the proposed $3.3 billion Temperance Flat Dam on the San Joaquin River. That’s no surprise – the federal water reclamation program has been very generous to its agricultural beneficiaries. As Bettina Boxall points out, after a 60 year interest-free loan provided by federal taxpayers, the growers advocating the next dam on the San Joaquin River have repaid only 19 percent of the 1.2 billion dollars they owe the federal government for the construction of the existing Friant Dam. (That amounts to a 300 year interest-free loan. Imagine what your mortgage payment might be if you could get those terms!) If these farmers could get that kind of financing deal on Temperance Flat Dam, of course they would jump at the opportunity. But even a casual look at the numbers raises real questions about such an investment. … “
Read more from the NRDC Switchboard blog by clicking here.
Water meter use could be required; Plan calls for installation in new multifamily units
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 8, 2010 at 8:03 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“San Diego is poised to set a regional water conservation benchmark by forcing developers of new multifamily and mixed-use complexes to install water meters for each unit.
The City Council takes up a proposed ordinance tomorrow after months of fine-tuning. The proposal is widely expected to pass, creating what several water experts said would be a first in the county. It would require submetering for new complexes with three or more units and in cases when an entire interior drinking water system is replaced for a complex with three or more homes. Some exemptions apply.
“We wanted it to be good enough that others in the county use it and follow it,” said Alan Pentico, director of public affairs of the San Diego County Apartment Association. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
Water district uses song and dance to teach water conservation
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 6, 2010 at 5:19 amFrom the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
“The California Fish and Game held their first meeting of the year on the Marine Life Protection Act this week in Ontario. They heard over four hours of public testimony from seventy-five south coast residents, each weighing in on marine protected area plans for the south coast.
Many surfers, scientists, divers, and conservationists lobbied for stronger protections for iconic ocean areas like Rocky Point and south La Jolla, but the commission voted 3-2 to maintain the compromise plan known as the “Integrated Preferred Alternative” as their proposed project.
The compromise plan draws from three stakeholder proposals developed over a year of study and negotiations among different interest groups. It would protect beloved ocean areas like Naples Reef, Dume underwater canyon, Laguna, and Swamis Reef while leaving the vast majority of the coast, including most of the region’s most popular fishing grounds, open for fishing. … “
Continue reading this story from the Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Composting toilets and the California water shortage
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 5, 2010 at 8:13 amFrom the Idea Marketers website:
“For those who aren’t already aware, the state of California is in a water crisis. More than two thirds of the state’s water supply comes from the Sacramento Delta, an area poised for catastrophe when the next major earthquake hits. According to scientists, such an event isn’t just a possibility, but rather a probability, and they estimate that there’s a 75 percent chance of such an earthquake occurring before the year 2040. The problem is further complicated by an aging infrastructure, insufficient levies, droughts, and ecological concerns in the area.
All this begs the question, what can California residents do to ensure that there will be enough water in the coming years to support the needs of their growing population? While the state of California realizes that major steps must be taken to overhaul and revamp the Sacramento Delta area, state agencies are also campaigning to raise public awareness about the need for water conservation. Though conservation alone won’t solve the problem in its entirety, encouraging residents to use less water is one important piece of the puzzle.
One of the biggest sources of water waste in the average American home is the toilet. … “
Continue reading this article from the Idea Marketers website by clicking here.
Water conservation lessons from outer space, literally!
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 4, 2010 at 6:53 amFrom the Denver Business Journal:
“Clean drinking water is precious, and nowhere is it more precious than in space — where astronauts rely on the limited amount of water that can be packed aboard for the duration of the trip.
So astronauts use, recycle and re-use the water — and so can we here at home in the arid west.
That’s the message of an 8-minute video, called “Out of This World Water Conservation,” put together Hughes & Stuart Sustainable Marketing in Greenwood Village, which teamed with Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Jefferson County. The video is available here [see below].
As the video flips between images of space, rockets, astronauts bouncing in zero-gravity and scenes of subdivisions, drought-tolerant plants and dry landscapes, the narrator discusses the connection between water conservation tactics in space and how they can be adapted on earth. … “
Continue reading this article from the Denver Business Journal by clicking here. Check out the website for Hughes & Stuart Sustainable Marketing by clicking here.
Wednesday’s top of scroll: New report from the Pacific Institute illustrates strides in agricultural water conservation and efficiency: Innovative farmers and water managers show the way to sustainable water use
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 3, 2010 at 8:42 am
From the Pacific Institute:
“March 3, 2010 – Oakland, Calif. – Madera County almond grower Tom Rogers has reduced water use by up to 20% in some fields with careful monitoring and irrigation scheduling. With sustainable water policies and practices, innovative growers like Rogers and irrigation districts are already moving California toward more equitable and efficient water management and use. A new report and video from the Pacific Institute, California Farm Water Success Stories, uses seven case studies to showcase agricultural water use innovations and demonstrate how these alternatives to traditional approaches can help California meet its water management challenges now and into the future.
“Mounting evidence of the effectiveness of farm water conservation and efficiency strategies is good news for policymakers and water managers,” said Dr. Juliet Christian-Smith, senior research associate at the Pacific Institute and lead author of the report. “Our study demonstrates that long-term sustainable use of water doesn’t require drastic advances in technology or heroic or extraordinary actions. It requires a commitment to sustainability and efficiency and the will to expand positive trends that are already underway.”
The cases in the Pacific Institute report and accompanying video demonstrate diverse strategies that can reduce pressures on scare water resources, from planning and management practices, technological improvements, and use of recycled water, to quantitative targets and financial incentives. The results are efficient water use or enhanced water quality, increased crop yields or quality, and multiple benefits for other water users, such as providing increased flood protection, drought-resilience, or habitat for wildlife.
“Official state water policies now often lag behind—rather than define—the state-of-the-art,” said Dr. Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute. “But when you see what farmers and progressive water agencies are already accomplishing on-the-ground, you immediately see how great the water-savings potential is if we promote and support these strategies.”The California Farm Water Success Stories report and eight-minute video can be downloaded from the Pacific Institute website at http://www.pacinst.org/reports/success_stories/index.htm. The video features five California growers and water managers: Karen Ross, the past president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers; Craig McNamara of Sierra Orchards; Dale Huss of Sea Mist Farms; almond grower Tom Rogers; and Panoche District Water Master Marcos Hedrick.
Peter Gleick on water scofflaws: Go soak your heads (under a low-flow showerhead)
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 2, 2010 at 7:40 amFrom Peter Gleick at the City Brights blog:
“After years of inaction, blatant and willful violations of federal law, and lack of enforcement by previous administrations, the U.S. Department of Energy has just announced that they intend to pursue enforcement actions against the manufacturers of water-using appliances that violate national water and energy savings laws that have been on the books for nearly 20 years.
A number of very simple, but important, water-using fixtures can be designed to work beautifully and yet save enormous amounts of water. That was the idea behind the water-efficiency standards that passed with the National Energy Policy Act of 1992 (yes, 1992!). That law put in place rules for manufacturers of toilets, showerheads, and faucets. And since those rules went into effect, a huge amount of water, and energy, and money has been saved.
But like all rules and regulations, they are only as good as society’s willingness to follow them and government’s willingness to enforce them. Almost all of the major manufacturers have done a great job in producing high-quality fixtures that meet the standards. But a few manufacturers have flouted the law by either failing to ensure that their water fixtures met the national standards, or by failing to prove it to federal regulators. And until recently, federal regulators looked the other way, or didn’t look at all. … “
Read more from Peter Gleick at the City Brights blog by clicking here.
California’s new homes far more water-efficient, says study
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 2, 2010 at 7:23 amFrom the Central Valley Business Times:
“Homes built in California in 2009 used water far more efficiently that those built 20 years earlier, according to a study paid for by the California Homebuilding Foundation.
When the California Green Building Standards Code comes into effect in 2011, retrofitting of existing homes could be even more significant in California’s efforts to reduce water use, the California Homebuilding Foundation says.
The study, prepared by Stockton-based ConSol, a consultant on energy solutions for production single-family and multifamily builders , examined historical standards on water flow for shower heads, toilets, faucets and clothes washers, as well as water used for landscaping, and compared them to standards used today and those that will come into effect in 2011.
“The California Green Building Standards Code will be a win-win for the environment and for homebuilders,” says Gail Grimm, CHF’s executive director. “Homebuilders will be able to help protect water resources while offering more water-efficient homes to consumers without adding a significant cost to the price of the home.” … “
Continue reading this story from the Central Valley Business Times by clicking here.
Butte CountySupervisors seek way to avoid state landscaping mandate
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 26, 2010 at 6:18 amFrom the Oroville Mercury-Register:
“Butte County supervisors are looking for ways to ignore a state mandate that would put limits, regulations and requirements on landscaping as a water conservation measure.
The state has passed three laws aimed at water conservation in landscaping at homes, businesses and public facilities, but this version is the only one that applies to “charter” cities and counties like Butte County.
The measure demands the county to adopt a model ordinance that requires a building or landscaping permit, plan check and a professional design review of private or developer-installed single or multi-family landscaping of 2,500 square-feet or more, or homeowner done or homeowner-hired landscapes of 5,000 square-feet or more.
The county has to administer the permits and do the plan checks, while the individual seeking the permits must hire a professional to review the landscape design. … “
Continue reading this article at the Oroville Mercury-Register by clicking here.
Fresno City Council cool to water law: Fresno studies conservation statute
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 26, 2010 at 6:08 amFrom the Fresno Bee:
“The Fresno City Council on Wednesday got its first look at a new state law regulating how Californians water their yards. Council members didn’t like what they saw.
The law spells out rigorous requirements for water conservation, including things like runoff limits and strict irrigation-system rules. Council members said the law is well-intentioned, but it is bureaucracy run amok. “This is classic Sacramento,” said Council Member Andreas Borgeas.
At his request, officials from the city’s Planning and Public Utilities departments laid out the complexities of the state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, which went into effect Jan. 1. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
The pipe logic of getting water to skyscrapers
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 26, 2010 at 5:47 amFrom the Voice of San Diego:
“As I wrote earlier this week, high rises would be exempt from the City Council’s proposed ordinance to require individual water meters in new apartments.
Wondering why?
It’s because of the way pipes are installed in skyscrapers. Instead of having a single pipe that delivers water to a single unit, a high rise might have one pipe that delivers water to every kitchen in the building and another pipe that sends water to every bathroom. The buildings are often designed with kitchens and bathrooms stacked atop one another, and the single pipe for each can stretch the length of the building. … “
Continue reading this article at the Voice of San Diego by clicking here.
State environmental agency gives waterless urinals the flush
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 24, 2010 at 8:31 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“A state agency in charge of environmental regulation has flushed its six-year experiment with waterless urinals.
According to California Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Lindsay VanLaningham, the agency has removed all 56 waterless urinals at its 25-story headquarters in downtown Sacramento.
The building was touted by the state as the greenest high-rise in the nation when it opened in 2001. … “
Read more from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
Utilities finding peer pressure a powerful motivator
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 23, 2010 at 6:20 amFrom Green, Inc.:
“National Grid, the electricity and gas provider to several Northeastern states, last week announced the expansion of its Home Energy Report program, which delivers energy-use statements to homeowners showing how they stack up against their neighbors in similar-size homes.
The announcement follows a successful pilot program, started in October 2009, with a test group of 50,000 customers. Energy use (both electric and gas) dropped by 1 percent for this group since the pilot began, compared to a control group that did not receive the report, according to Monica Ibrahim, National Grid’s program manager.
Joining a growing number of utility companies, National Grid has discovered a bit of peer pressure, in the form of a monthly scorecard, can motivate customers to change their habits and use less energy.
The report compares the customer’s energy use against a group of 100 neighbors with similar profiles defined by square footage, type of home (single or multifamily), and home heating source. Customers also see how they measure up to their most “efficient neighbors,” defined as the top 20 percent (lowest energy users) in their peer group of 100. … “
Continue reading this story from Green Inc. by clicking here.
The enigma of a San Diego apartment’s water use
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 23, 2010 at 5:54 amFrom the Voice of San Diego:
“The landlord’s note taped to my apartment door brought news that made my stomach sink. My apartment complex’s water consumption is up 17 percent, it said. And no one’s been giving San Diego’s elected officials a harder time about their water consumption than me.
But before the mayor or City Council members start rubbing my nose in my water bill, here’s a huge caveat: It’s not necessarily my water consumption that’s up. I live in an apartment complex with seven other units. I’ve been conserving water. And I don’t even have a water bill for them to rub my nose in.
So maybe my consumption is up. But maybe someone else has a leaky toilet or faucet. Or started taking longer showers. Or decided to wash their car in the alley. … “
Read more from the Voice of San Diego by clicking here.
Water storage vs. water conservation
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 6, 2010 at 7:51 amFrom the Hanford Sentinel:
“If there’s one issue that virtually everybody agrees on in Sacramento, it’s that California has water problems. Three years of drought, endangered species restrictions on pumping, a growing population, huge areas of the state without natural water supplies, an outdated delivery system — the list of liquid challenges for the Golden State goes on and on.
The problem was felt last year by urban residents in Southern California who faced mandatory rationing. But the issue also had a big impact on agriculture, the largest water user in the state. In Kings County, supervisors declared a state of emergency all year. Farmers, particularly those who count on water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta, grew increasingly worried about whether there would be enough. In many cases, fields were left fallow and millions of dollars were lost in production along with thousands of agricultural jobs. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, estimated that water shortages cost the San Joaquin Valley 21,000 jobs in 2009. In Avenal and Kettleman City, unemployment soared past 30 percent.
It’s impossible to deny that water is becoming a bigger and bigger issue. But when it comes to solutions, agreement tends to evaporate. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the argument between environmentally-minded conservationists and advocates for new dams. … “
Read more from the Hanford Sentinel by clicking here.
San Diego: Please don’t irrigate before weekend storm, Water Authority asks
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 5, 2010 at 6:43 amFrom the North County Times:
“San Diego County businesses and residents, please turn off your irrigation systems for the near future. Mother Nature will do the watering this weekend.
Moderate to heavy rains are expected to return to the region late Friday and continue through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters have issued a flash flood watch for that period, with an inch of rain per hour possible. Significant flows are expected in the Santa Margarita and San Luis Rey rivers.
The San Diego County Water Authority is asking residents and businesses to take the irrigation hiatus to conserve the area’s water supply. Forecasters expect a storm to arrive late Friday and last until Sunday, the water authority said in a Thursday advisory.
“Following a significant storm, irrigation systems can remain off for several weeks,” the authority said. … “
Read more from the North County Times by clicking here.
Sonora City Council resigns itself to passing the state mandated landscaping ordinance
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 3, 2010 at 8:19 amFrom the Union Democrat, a report from the Sonora City Council meeting. The council approved the state-mandated landscaping ordinance, but not without some objections:
” … the state-mandated model ordinance requires services that the city currently doesn’t have the manpower to provide. It could require residential property owners who want to landscape 5,000 square-feet, or commercial property owners who want to landscape 2,500 square-feet, to hire a civil engineer.
The ordinance would affect very few homeowners, Wyllie said.
“I voted against this before because it’s bad legislation, and it bothers me not to rebel somehow,” said Councilman Hank Russell.
According to City Administrator Greg Applegate, not passing the measure would only give the state of California greater control over local operations.
The council passed the ordinance with three yes votes for and a symbolic two against. There was some confusion, however, about who would be the two “no” votes, resulting in a small conference and a few vote changes. … “
Read more from The Union Democrat by clicking here.
Meters will help conserve water in Visalia, says editorial
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 3, 2010 at 8:07 amFrom the Visalia Times-Delta:
“Visalia is working toward reducing water consumption and emphasizing conservation while ensuring the continued viability of the water supply. A proposed rate increase by California Water Service is designed to help accomplish both goals.
California Water Service has proposed a series of rate hikes for Visalia water users. The three increases will amount to a total of 60 percent by the time they are fully phased in by the year 2013 at the earliest. Cal Water is awaiting a decision from the California Public Utilities Commission. It expects a decision later this year. The rate increases could begin next year.
Cal Water is also proceeding with plans to have all residential water users in the city of Visalia equipped with water meters. It has retrofitted about 5,000 older homes with meters in the past two years. About 14,000 customers still pay by flat rate.
Installation of meters in Visalia can’t occur fast enough. … “
Continue reading this editorial at the Visalia Times-Delta by clicking here.
California handing water wasters the bill
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 31, 2010 at 8:25 amFrom NPR, this story from Weekend Edition Sunday:
“Recent rainy weather notwithstanding, California is still reeling from the effects of a long-term drought and mandated water conservation. Many water districts are hiking up rates for water use. In southern California, one water district has come up with a system that rewards conservation and penalizes water waste. The system is a model for other water districts around the state and, increasingly, around the country.”
Listen to this story from Weekend Edition Sunday by clicking here.
Rules to conserve water adopted by Tuolomne County Supes
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 28, 2010 at 3:29 pmFrom the Union Democrat:
“The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors approved a new state-mandated ordinance Tuesday designed to save water by targeting, in part, leaky sprinklers and thirsty shrubbery.
The new landscaping ordinance applies to commercial developers. It requires them to conserve water, in part, through the use of efficient irrigation systems and the planting of drought-tolerant plant species.
Notably, the proposed county ordinance excludes both mined-land reclamation projects and public botanical gardens from the new rules, which would exempt a proposed 64-acre botanical garden. The ambitious project was proposed in 2008 by Modesto developer Vince Estell. The state has a say in any reclamation project that takes place at the mine site, of which Estell’s idea may turn out to be one of many.
In addition, home gardens and lawns would also be excluded from the ordinance. … “
Read more from The Union Democrat by clicking here.
Reforms could lead to huge water savings for California, Pacific Institute says
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 28, 2010 at 8:45 amFrom Circle of Blue Water News:
“Replacing inefficient appliances in homes and upgrading wasteful agricultural equipment could save one million acre feet of water in California, according to a Pacific Institute report released Monday. These reforms could also save the parched state six to eight million acre feet by 2020.
Peter Gleick, founder and president of the Pacific Institute, delivered the findings during a U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Water and Power hearing. The congressional meeting was called to discuss ways to reach Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s call to reduce freshwater consumption to 20 percent by 2020.
In an interview with Circle of Blue, Gleick said the meeting was “contentious,” as some in attendance took the opportunity to express anger regarding the already diminishing freshwater supply. Among those who also testified were farm owners, businessmen, water district general managers and professors.
Despite the tense atmosphere, Gleick said his recommendations were well-received.
“I was trying to say, ‘here’s the good news,’” he said. “Part of our water problems can be resolved by reducing the wasteful use of water.” … “
Read more from Circle of Blue Water News by clicking here.
Ventura County will likely face more mandatory water conservation in future
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 27, 2010 at 7:38 amFrom the Ventura County Star:
“California’s water supply is like a massive mobile with more than 200 parts dangling off it, each precariously balancing out or contradicting the other, said Frank Pecarich.
“If you take one piece away it changes the mobile,” said Pecarich, a retired government official who worked on water issues for years. “Anything done in the system is going to affect the balance of the system.”
In short, when it comes to California’s water supply, nothing is easy.
Pecarich was one of three people who spoke Tuesday in Oxnard to about 75 members of the League of Women Voters of Ventura County to give perspective on the ongoing water crisis. It involves drought and global warming, environmental and political issues, conservation and economics and just about every other complexity out there, he said. … “
Read more from the Ventura County Star by clicking here.
As water crisis worsens, rare Congressional hearing held in Los Angeles
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 26, 2010 at 8:32 amFrom the San Gabriel Valley Tribune:
“In a rare congressional hearing held in Los Angeles on Monday, water authorities warned that no matter how much it rains and snows this year, the water woes of farms and cities across the state are far from over.
Without a solution to the ecological crisis in the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta – which sits at the heart of the system that carries water from the Sierras to crops, people and industry across the state – water availability will continue to be limited, they said.
And even if a solution is found there, climate change, population growth and aging infrastructure have compounded the problem.
“A couple of days of rain are certainly a nice relief, but they are a reflection of weather impacted by variable ocean conditions and are not the long-term solutions to addressing the issues that underlie our water dilemma,” said Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs.
Napolitano headed Monday’s hearing of the House Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee, at the headquarters of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. … “
Read more from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune by clicking here.
Glendale works on water law: State ordinance is too burdensome, officials say, so goal is to craft their own rules
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 26, 2010 at 6:07 amFrom the Glendale News Press:
“A new state law that mandates all future landscaping to meet complicated water-efficiency standards has left city planners scrambling to implement more streamlined regulations.
The California Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, which went into effect this year, aims to decrease water-hungry landscaping and irrigation runoff. The regulations apply to public and private development of at least 2,500 square feet and residential projects of at least 5,000 square feet.
State officials have said the new regulations are important to address the state’s growing water shortage.
“In California’s warm, dry climate, more than half of urban water supplies may be used for landscape irrigation,” state Water Resources Director Lester Snow said in a letter to local governments. “Ensuring efficient landscapes in new developments and reducing water waste in existing landscapes are among the most cost-effective ways to stretch our limited water supplies and ensure that we continue to have water we need.” … “
Read more from the Glendale News Press by clicking here.
Peter Gleick: Where to find one million acre-feet of water for California: An advance peek at a new assessment
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 22, 2010 at 8:22 amFrom Peter Gleick at the City Brights blog:
“Californians have improved their efficiency of water use over the past 25 years. The state’s economy and population have grown. But total water use has not grown, and per person, each Californian uses far less today. This improvement in efficiency has saved the state’s collective rear end. So far.
But plenty of water problems still remain, despite the welcome rains of the past week. Current water use is still too wasteful, as I’ve discussed many times in this column. Here are just two examples: Even today, after California’s conservation efforts, over 60% of all toilet flushes are done by toilets whose flows are well above national standards, suggesting that many old inefficient fixtures remain in homes. More than 75% of all crops in California are still grown with inefficient flood or sprinkler irrigation systems.
The Pacific Institute has completed a series of independent reports on urban and agricultural water efficiency that provide a comprehensive statewide analysis. (See “Waste Not, Want Not: The Potential for Urban Water Conservation in California” and “Sustaining California Agriculture in an Uncertain Future.”) Our findings have been adopted by the California Department of Water Resources in the California Water Plan. These studies show that existing, cost-effective technologies and policies can readily reduce current state demand for water by 6 to 8 million acre-feet, or around 20%. Governor Schwarzenegger’s recent call for a 20% reduction in water use by 2020 is thus based on sound science and economics, even if the policies to achieve such savings are not yet in place. The recent water bill takes weak steps toward an urban savings of 20%, and it lets the agricultural sector completely off the hook. … “
Continue reading Peter Gleick’s post at the City Brights blog by clicking here.
Smart meters for water? How long until all devices which consume water have networked flow meters?
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 21, 2010 at 6:49 amFrom Enterprise Irregulars:
“Oracle published the results of a very interesting study recently called Testing the Water: Smart Metering for Water Utilities.
Now, we have all heard about the compelling case for Smart Meters for electrical consumption (I have written and spoken about it extensively) but in this study Oracle asked utilities and their customers about the benefits of rolling out Smart Meters for managing water consumption.
Part of the reason for undertaking this study was that water shortages are already being seen in the South East United States, Western Canada, and Southern California. ….
….Some of the results of the Oracle water study show that:
* 68% of water utility managers believe it is critical that water utilities adopt smart meter technologies
* 76% of consumers are concerned about the need to conserve water in their community
* 69% of consumers believe they could reduce their personal water use
* 71% of consumers believe receiving more detailed information on their water consumption would encourage them to take steps to lower their water use
* 83% of water utilities who have completed a cost- benefit analysis support the adoption of smart meter technologySo, the public is concerned about water conservation and believes that more information would help them reduce their consumption of water. … “
Read more from Enterprise Irregulars by clicking here.
You can read the report by clicking here (registration is necessary).
CalArts students teach Angelenos to save water with unconventional campaign
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 18, 2010 at 7:49 am
From GOOD Magazine:
“The California Institute of the Arts is notorious for being frighteningly unconventional. So for a few graphic design students it made perfect sense to enroll in a semester course titled “Mutant Design.” This class is the shape-shifting, dream-catching laboratory of instructor Louise Sandhaus, who created a unique opportunity for our fall semester. When the annual INDEX: | AIGA Aspen Design Challenge was presented, asking students to design solutions around the global water crisis, Sandhaus quickly gathered her team and informed us we would enter this competition together.
For the next five months our group—consisting of one faculty member, one CalArts alum-turned-advisor, and six graphic design students—formulated, researched, prototyped, debated, and eventually designed a product. … “
Read more from GOOD Magazine by clicking here.
Water conservation ordinances could limit suburban lawns
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 11, 2010 at 3:45 pmFrom the New York Times:
“John Boyle, a 51-year-old venture capitalist in Menlo Park, built a new home on his property more than a decade ago largely to create a big lawn where his children could play football or baseball.
So Mr. Boyle, who is also a city councilman, is particularly sensitive to the idea that a proposed municipal ordinance to cut landscaping watering would prohibit other people from doing the same. He says he applauds conservation but is against the government dictating how to do it.
“I think it is important, where possible, for people to design their yards the way they want,” he said in an interview last week.
The all-American suburban lawn, the backdrop for everything from the illustrations in old Dick & Jane readers to House Beautiful, long ago began to fade in the drought-prone suburbs around San Francisco Bay. … “
Read more from the New York Times by clicking here.
New bathroom mirror guilts users into sustainable water consumption
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 11, 2010 at 3:42 pm
From AlterNet:
“This intriguing – and somewhat complex – concept design for a bathroom mirror brings the water crisis right in front of your face. The mirror is lit with LEDs powered by the flow of water in the pipes. As you use the mirror throughout the year, the patterns of water use and supply create a frame, and you can see how your habits affect the planet. … “
Say what? Check it out from AlterNet by clicking here.
California cities adopt landscaping rules in water conservation effort
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 11, 2010 at 6:17 amFrom the San Bernardino Sun:
“New landscaping laws require local governments to establish “water budgets” for future developments.
Water officials often say that 70 percent or so of H20 used at homes goes to plants, not people. The new measures are designed to reduce water use for the yards and gardens of future homes, businesses and government buildings.
“There’s going to be a higher focus on drought-tolerant landscaping,” said Jeff Simonetti, senior vice president for government affairs of the Baldy View chapter of the Building Industry Association.
The new laws are one more step in developers’ approval process, Simonetti said. He did not, however, describe the new measures as a major hindrance to future construction efforts. … “
Read more from the San Bernardino Sun by clicking here.
Utilities commission skeptical about water plan; Landscaping ordinance would limit turf areas, require more native plants
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 8, 2010 at 7:23 amFrom Palo Alto Online:
“A proposal by Palo Alto’s Utilities Department to save water by shrinking the size of people’s lawns was greeted with skepticism from the city’s Utilities Advisory Commission Wednesday night.
The ordinance, drafted by the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA), would apply to landscaping projects in which the overall irrigated area is 1,000 square feet or larger. Single-family homes and non-residential projects would be included.
The ordinance would limit the turf area allowed to 25 percent of the irrigated landscape. It would also require at least 80 percent of the plants in non-turf landscape to be native plants or plants that use little or no water. In both cases, an applicant could alternately develop and commit to a water budget.
All landscapes greater than 5,000 square feet would require irrigation meters. … “
Aquafornia's Information Desk
Aquafornia's Photos on Flickr
Recent Posts
- Thursday’s top of scroll: Judge rules drought water transfers required environmental review
- Judge Vilardi rejects DWR’s 2009 drought water bank approval
- Western Weather Blog takes a look at the western snowpack
- Water, energy conservation linked; Officials point to need to overhaul lifestyles
- Top speakers on the agenda at the Water Education Foundation’s Executive Briefing, March 25 & 26
- Large increase in CVP water supplies
- ACWA: Low federal water allocation points to need for solutions; Despite increase in federal allocations in 2010, State’s water still in crisis
- The Biocrat: Some say Phil Detrich was a sellout. Others, a savior. He says he was just doing his job.
- Alex Brietler’s blog: Feds emphasize long-term Delta fix
- California’s coast saves water, inland regions use more
- Water Education Foundation announces photography contest – “California Water”
- Aging sewers add up to a big challenge in California
- USDA commits water quality assistance to help California’s agricultural producers
- HTO announces nationwide release of California ocean wastewater discharge report and inventory
- Trashing the deep
Aquafornia's Mission
Aquafornia's mission is to educate readers about the complex and often controversial issues surrounding water in California.
Aquafornia is affiliated with the Water Education Foundation, an impartial non-profit organization, whose mission is to create a better understanding of water issues and help resolve water resource problems through educational programs.
E-mail Newsletter
To receive email announcements from the Water Education Foundation, sign up here.
Web Resources
Agriculture
Climate Change & Water
Conservation
Delta Resources
Employment & Water
Environmental Organizations
Fishing Blogs
Investing & Water
Landscaping
Legal Blogs
Los Angeles River
News
Salton Sea
Twitter Feeds
Water Agencies
Water Blogs
- Aguanomics
- American Water Resources Assn. Blog
- Barry Nelson at the NRDC Switchboard
- Chance of Rain
- Chronicles of the Hydraulic Brotherhood
- EDF’s On The Waterfront
- Food and Water Watch Blog
- Great Lakes Law Blog
- H2ONCoast Blog
- Inkstain – jfleck
- On the Public Record
- Peter Gleick’s City Brights blog
- Spouting Off – Mark Gold of Heal the Bay
- Thirsty in Suburbia
- Water Cooler Blog
- Water SISWEB
- Water Words That Work
- Waterblogged
- WaterCrunch
- WaterWired
- Western Water Blog
Water Information
News Article Archives
- Agriculture
- Aquafornia Exclusives
- Biofuels
- Bottled water
- Climate change & water supply
- Commentary
- Conservation
- Delta Issues
- Desalination
- Drinking Water
- Drought Tolerant Landscaping
- Drought, Weather & Snowpack
- Events
- Flood Control
- General Water Issues
- Geothermal Energy
- Grandiose water plans
- Great Green Ideas
- Groundwater
- Hydropower
- Indian Water Rights
- Infrastructure
- International Water Issues
- Invasive Species
- Levees
- Monterey Agreements
- National water news
- Oceans and Beaches (all)
- Odds and Ends
- People in the News
- Rainwater Harvesting
- Recycled Water
- Regional Water Issues
- All-American Canal
- Antelope Valley
- Bakersfield
- Bay Area
- Central Coast
- Coachella Valley
- Colorado River Basin
- Imperial Irrigation District & Imperial Valley
- Lake Tahoe & the Sierra's
- Las Vegas & Nevada
- Los Angeles River
- Northern California
- Orange County
- Owens Valley & Mono Lake
- Riverside – San Bernardino
- Sacramento
- Salton Sea
- San Diego
- San Joaquin Valley
- Southern California
- Southwest Water Issues
- Westlands Water District
- Stormwater & Urban Runoff
- Uncategorized
- Water & Development
- Water & Energy
- Water & Investing
- Water & Population
- Water & the Environment
- Water & Wildlife
- Water Agency News (all)
- Water Banking
- Water History
- Water Legislation
- Water Quality
- Water Rights
- Water Storage
- Water Supply
- Water Technologies
- Water Transfers
- Weather Modification
- Weird & Wacky Water News