Watering like it was 1945
Posted on | August 6, 2009 | 2 Comments
SINCE introducing mandatory conservation in September 2007, Long Beach water consumption now runs 16.5% below the historical average, reported the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners today.
For the full report from Aquaformia, click here.
According to Matthew Veeh, a Special Projects Officer with the city, Long Beach water use has dropped to 105 gallons per person per day, the lowest it’s been since 1945.
By comparison, the Los Angeles County average, according to a fantastically nifty Aguanomics map, was 185 gallons per person per day when the map was produced in November 2008. That, too, is dropping since the City of Los Angeles introduced mandatory conservation in June 2009.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power recently reported a 16.8% drop among single family homes in June, a 32-year low. But, from the looks of it, Long Beach is still way ahead of LA both in its numbers and attitude.
“We want to cause a lifestyle change for people and we want to make this something they do from now on,” said Veeh. “Wasting water is as serious a problem as lighting up a cigarette in a crowded room.”
Hats off to Long Beach!
Tags: chance of rain > City of Long Beach > Emily Green > water conservation
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North American Native Plant Societies
After the lawn
Garden blogs
August 7th, 2009 @ 6:00 am
Years of drought on the Colorado River, and below-normal rainfall and snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, combined with environmental restrictions on pumping water, have severely reduced the region’s water supply. http://tr.im/vRVk As a result, we are currently heading into Mandatory Conservation. What this means is that restrictions or fines on water usage could be imposed in order to address our water shortage. Therefore we need to make a conscious effort to reduce and minimize our water usage. Easy things we can do to help save water include fixing leaky sprinklers, installing water efficient shower heads, toilets and sprinklers etc. Check out all the tips on the site and pass it on to fellow Southern Californians! http://tr.im/vRVC
August 8th, 2009 @ 6:29 pm
What Where You Thinking?
I remember 1945, I was 7 years old and our family were “rainwater harvesters” and didn’t even know what that meant back then!
We had many rain barrels (wooden barrels) that provided water when our shallow well ran dry, even though we had potable water.
We washed our hair and clothes in this water. We flushed our toilets with rainwater. Our fruit and veggies that came right off the tree or gardens were rinsed off with this water, as well. Our chickens, rabbits, cats & dogs were given the rainwater to drink!
Today that water can also be used to clean garden tools, pots, lawn furniture, exterior of homes, windows, decks. Water your pets, your plants, gardens, lawn, and use decorative vessels in the bathroom filled w/rainwater to flush the toilet. Fill the birdbaths, fountains, etc. with rainwater instead potable water. I’m sure your readers can think of many other items I’ve missed.
If you use water to clean out your gutters, consider saving that water and use the
“Gutter Clutter Buster” gutter cleaning wet/dry vac attachment tool to vacuum out gutters while standing on the ground and save even more potable water.
Happy Rainwater Harvesting and Save Our Water! Granny told you so…….lol….