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California's Water Situation: We're Not Crying Wolf!
May, 2008
There is a very real water shortage in California as we and many others have been reporting for the past several months. The shortage has been caused by a ‘perfect storm’ of events:
- A drought on the Colorado River in its 8 th year
- Limited local rainfall over the past couple of years
- And, most importantly, a judicial order to curtail water pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to 50%-60% of normal levels
The impact of these conditions is that Metropolitan Water District’s (MWD) water supplies are limited. Burbank receives the majority of its water from MWD; if MWD doesn’t have water, Burbank doesn’t get water. It’s that simple.
This limited supply situation is likely to continue for over a decade. That’s tough news to receive, but there is some good news. Since the 1992 drought, MWD has created and filled water storage facilities in preparation for recurring periods of drought and/or natural disasters, like earthquakes, that can cut off water supplies from northern California. Diamond Valley Lake is a good example of this effort. The lake holds enough water to meet much of southern California’s needs for six months. As of March 2007, MWD had a full year of emergency water in storage. Likewise, Burbank Water and Power is working to create local water storage opportunities. This prudent planning has prevented the need for water rationing – something that Burbank and all of southern California would have required without this planning. Currently, we are drawing down the supplies of this emergency water. And, given the ruling to limit pumping from the Delta, we are drawing down supplies without any assurance that we will be able to refill them anytime soon. It’s a recipe for disaster, but again there is some good news:
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
The amount of water consumed in Burbank is about 200 gallons a day per person. That’s a lot of water! The City has called for a 10% reduction in use in what we call the “20 Gallon Challenge.” Simple, thoughtful actions taken by each of us can dramatically reduce water use. The reality is that we all need to cut back immediately so that we can have more supplies to count on.
Does cutting back mean I have to do without?
We don’t think so. While some people are really diligent about water conservation, most of us are not. There most likely is a lot of room for improvement from each of us. For instance:
- Do you leave the water running while you brush your teeth?
- If so, you’re wasting 2 gallons every minute the water runs.
- What about when you are washing dishes?
- If you only run the water when you actually need to, you’ll save 2-1/2 gallons per minute.
- How long is your shower?
- Shaving off just two minutes from your shower saves 5 gallons of water.
As you can see, small actions add up to big impacts. For many more tips on how to save water, please click on the “Water Saving Tips” link below.
Did you know?
Watering our Lawns and Gardens Uses the Most Water
More than half of the water we use goes to watering lawns and gardens. Unfortunately, most of us over-water our lawns, often by as much as 50% and higher! This is an enormous opportunity. We can cut our total water consumption by over 25% with appropriate irrigation!
So, what is “appropriate irrigation”? We asked the experts and received this rule of thumb: Only replace water that is lost due to weather. Here’s what that means in terms of a watering schedule using sprayheads (rotor systems need about double the watering time):
- During summertime weather, water for about 15 minutes, three times weekly.
- During the cooler spring and fall seasons, drop your watering to twice weekly, for no more than 15 minutes each day.
- In the winter months, once a week for up to 15 minutes should do the job, if watering is necessary.
Other Important Watering Tips : Turn off your sprinklers when it rains and always stop watering if you see any water run-off. Also, don’t water when the sun is out – much of the water will simply evaporate before it can do your garden any good. Adding mulch around your trees and plants is an inexpensive and effective way to retain water and prevent evaporation. The goal is to get water to the roots, about 3” deep, to keep your grass green without wasting water.
Burbank’s Sustainable Water Use Practices Ordinance
In May 2008, the Burbank City Council approved a Water Use Practices ordinance. This ordinance lays out four water use stages that would be implemented by the City Council as needed in response to the state’s water supply situation. Each stage contains specific requirements related to the use of water, especially as used for landscaping purposes. Currently, the City of Burbank is at Stage I, which is completely voluntary.
To view Burbank’s Sustainable Water Use Practices Ordinance and the report to the City Council that discusses the Ordinance, please click on the links below.
Thank you for doing your part in reducing water consumption in Burbank and helping out during a tough time!
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