Even in wet years — like the last two, which saw disastrous flooding in many parts of the state — Californians need to use less water. That’s the message the State Water Resources Control Board conveyed to the public during a workshop as the agency considers new rules for water conservation in urban areas.
Though recent snow and rainfall have certainly improved drought conditions, California water officials still want to make every drop of water count.
That means cutting out the watering of decorative grass — also known as non-functional turf — frequently landscaped at traffic medians or office parking lots.
Decorative grass is becoming a bigger problem for Western water agencies to address as policymakers look to cut back its water usage in statewide bans, proposed legislation and local ordinances.
San Diego County residents have taken multiple actions to conserve water and nearly two-thirds feel they can do more, according to a regional public opinion survey released by the San Diego County Water Authority.
As in prior polls, approximately nine in ten respondents recognize the importance of water to the San Diego region’s economy and quality of life, and an overwhelming majority (88%) agree that they have a civic duty to use water efficiently. Even though conservation has become a way of life in San Diego County, two-thirds (66%) of respondents feel they can do “a little more” or “much more” to conserve.
“San Diego County residents appreciate the importance of a safe and reliable water supply, and they are taking actions to ensure the long-term reliability of the water supply,” said Water Authority Board Chair Gary Croucher. “They also recognize they can do more to cut back through a variety of actions like washing full loads of dishes, fixing leaks, and purchasing efficient toilets and shower heads. In addition, the survey shows there are still numerous landscapes that can be upgraded with low-water plants and more efficient irrigation technology.”
The Water Authority has performed periodic public opinion research over the past 25 years to gauge residents’ knowledge and attitudes about water issues. The latest survey of 889 adults in San Diego County was conducted by Encinitas-based True North Research from July 7 to 21, and results were presented to the agency’s Board of Directors during Thursday’s regular monthly meeting. The margin of error for the poll is +/-3.3%.
This year, for the first time, the public opinion poll included layer of data to accommodate the Water Authority’s interest in evaluating how survey responses differ among residents living in environmentally disadvantaged communities. The study oversampled households in census tracts identified by the Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s CalEnviroScreen database as disproportionately burdened by pollution and with population characteristics that make them more sensitive to pollution. The survey results and analysis shed light on impacted communities’ views on the full range of water-related topics.
Survey results show that across the board, affordable housing is the most prominent top-of-mind issue (32%) in the region, followed by homelessness (27%) and cost of living (18%) – similar to the previous survey in 2019. Only about 8% of respondents mentioned water-related topics such as drought, cost or quality as the most important top-of-mind issue, but that was up from 3% in 2019.
While drought may not be the most pressing issue in most people’s minds, there is widespread awareness countywide about extremely hot and dry conditions. Eight in ten (81%) respondents agreed that California is experiencing drought, with half (53%) of the opinion that the current drought is more severe than others in the past. Eight in ten (79%) were at least somewhat concerned about statewide drought conditions, though respondents expressed more confidence in the county’s water supplies than they did in supplies for the entire state or Southern California.
On the topic of conservation, more than 80% of respondents said they were at least “somewhat” attentive to water use, and approximately 80% also reported taking conservation actions such as fixing leaks and drips in a timely manner; making a practice of running the dishwasher and washing machine only when full; and reducing water use with brushing teeth and showering. It’s noteworthy, however, that the percentage of respondents who had yet to take a specific water conservation action but were realistically willing to do so in the next 12 months was low. It ranged from 2% to 9% across all actions tested.
When it comes to supply reliability in San Diego County, nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents trust local water agencies to ensure a reliable water supply over the long-term. However, 51% of respondents expect the reliability of water supplies in San Diego County to become worse over the next year, up from 40% in 2019.
The 2022 survey also explored issues of cost. It highlighted the fact that there’s relatively low understanding of how much residents pay for a gallon of tap water, although awareness of the true cost of water has improved over the past three years with less overestimation. After being told that the retail cost of municipal tap water in the San Diego region is less than 2 cents per gallon, more than three-quarters felt it is either an excellent (22%), good (24%) or fair (28%) value. Overall, fewer respondents said water was a good, fair, or excellent value in 2022 compared to 2019. Opinions were split about the need for future water rate increases to enhance reliability, with just over half (52%) of respondents saying they will be needed.
In addition, the poll showed significant support for discounted water services for qualified low-income households. Two-thirds of respondents (67%) support a hypothetical program to provide discounted water services to qualified, low-income households. Survey participants were also asked to if they support such a program even if it raised the cost of water services by $1 to $3 per month. Although support for the program declined once the cost trade-off was introduced, a majority (55%) of respondents indicated they would still support the program.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been urging Californians to conserve water after another dry winter. And according to preliminary data from California State Water Resources Board, Californians cut their water use in May by 5% from the previous May.
Erik Ekdahl, deputy director of the water board’s Division of Water Rights, said a board meeting Tuesday that the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is gone for the season and the area will not see significant precipitation any time soon.
This summer, some will be taking shorter showers and lawns will turn yellow as Southern Californians try to conserve water during the drought.
While it mostly affects the Los Angeles area, all Californians are being asked to save water.
Last month — when the state water board approved rules that went into effect on Wednesday — Governor Gavin Newsom said in part, “These conservation measures are increasingly important as we enter the summer months. I’m asking all Californians to step up because every single drop counts.”
A recent report shows Californians aren’t doing enough to conserve water, despite Governor Gavin Newsom’s request to reduce use by 15%. Newsom made that request in July of 2021.
Fast forward to now, and according to the State Water Resources Control Board, total water usage statewide decreased by just 3.7% between July and March compared to the same period two years ago.
World Water Day is on Tuesday, so water officials are calling on Californians again to conserve more water in the face of a worsening drought.
One of the best ways to conserve water is to reduce outdoor watering, so Metropolitan Water District held a news conference at the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers & Native Plants to encourage Angelenos to use native plants that are more acclimated to Southern California’s dry weather and require much less water than grass.
Parts of the Bay Area are expected to heat up on Tuesday. Warm temperatures could be near record-breaking in some areas. The heatwave comes only days after Saturday’s storm, which wasn’t significant enough to impact drought conditions.
There is looming concern, as the state struggles to conserve water.
The warm weather and sunny skies forecast for Tuesday will bring a typical springtime event, according to Meteorology and Climate Science expert Alison Bridger.
California’s vital Sierra snowpack has fallen “well below average” in the third official measurement of the season, signaling another year of drought is ahead.
That was the conclusion after the Department of Water Resources conducted the third snow survey of the season Tuesday at Phillips Station west of Lake Tahoe.
Following the driest January and February in state history, the manual survey recorded 35 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 16 inches, which is 68% of average for this location in March.
The total rain collected as of February is still above normal, according to East Bay Municipal Utility District, but the recent dry spell in 2022 contrasts sharply with the wet months late last year and leaves the potential for a drought emergency uncertain.
“We’re not seeing an erasure of what occurred but it is worrisome,” said Andrea Pook, a spokesperson for East Bay MUD. “We do still need to wait and see what we get for the rest of February and into March.”
As of this week, East Bay MUD says it has 30 inches of rain, which is 108 percent of normal for this time of year. It’s also more rain that we had last year. Reservoirs are 68 percent full. These numbers are improvements from data reported by the agency in December.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
