The picture on the left is typical of what was going on in California during the four-year-long California drought. It will last at least another year since the snowpack in the mountains is way down again this winter. How much longer the drought will last beyond next year has yet to be determined. The shortage is severe since most reservoirs are down significantly. They have less than a year’s worth of water left in them to provide water to cities, farms, and homeowners across the state. If they do not get water soon, serious water restrictions will be put in place. They need to conserve even this limited amount of water that is left.
Fast forward three years to 2023. The drought is over, and the reservoirs are full. Water shortages will come again. Californians can take steps now to protect themselves in the future.
California Drought – Steps to Take
Many people in California are not taking the threat seriously. They continue to water lawns, wash cars, and wastewater as if there is no problem. It is time to wake up since California is considering reducing property watering to twice a week, along with many other restrictions.
In desert communities, twice a week watering will cause many lawns to die off, and most trees that have been planted will also wither and die. All those beautiful palm trees will also die since they take copious amounts of water. Many residents and visitors do not realize that each palm tree must be watered unless it is watered by an underground spring, of which there are few.
Here are some of the things you can do to reduce water usage.
- Use water-efficient taps and shower heads
- Convert old toilets to water-efficient toilets
- Wash cars once a week and use a pail rather than a hose
- Repair all sprinkler systems, especially those that spray water on roads and sidewalks
- Convert to a desert landscape
There are likely many more things that can be done to conserve water. Look at your situation and apply water reduction techniques. It will help your wallet as well.