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About the Story: Long Beach, Calif., is already taking drastic measures, and other cities across Southern California may soon follow suit. Experts say that we’re headed into a drought and that now is the time to enforce strict water-saving rules. But it’s not just the lack of rain that’s producing a water crisis. Orange County reporter Roger Cooper found out that it also involves a tiny fish. (TRT: 6:58)

: Aquafornia Blog; Association of California Water Agencies; BeWaterWise.com; The Business Press’ “Water Crisis Roils Court Battle” Article; California Department of Water Resources; City-Data.com’s “Will L.A. And the Rest of Southern CA Face a Water Crisis Soon?” Blog; Long Beach Water; Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; North County Times Community Forums’ “Securing Southern California’s Water Future” Blog; Stephen Frank’s California Political News and Views’ “Water Crisis Hits Southern California” Blog; Tags: Animals, Water, Environment

Save Our H2O

Publish date: October 17, 2007
Last updated: May 12, 2009

Reporter's NOTES

Roger Cooper
Water officials in Southern California are always stressing the need for water conservation, but right now, their conversations on the subject take on a special sense of urgency. A federal judge’s recent order to protect an endangered fish, the Delta Smelt, stands to reduce the flow of Sacramento Delta water into Southern California by 30%.

Add to that the impact that drought conditions have had on our other sources of water like the Colorado River, and you see why those officials are expressing concern. Long Beach, Calif., has already imposed water conservation restrictions. We asked the people who bring us our water to tell us where this is heading.

We invite you to tell us your thoughts about this topic.

COMMUNITY VIEWPOINTS

10.30.2007 | 1:38 pm
If our state is so concerned about our water and fish now and in the future, then why does it continue to allow the construction of more and more homes in the state? Even our wild animals are losing their habitats because of overpopulation in the state.

Will we allow more and more building ’til we all turn the state back into a desert? Solution: Place big signs on all border roads leading into the state that reads “Go back and settle in a state that has a lot of water. We barely have enough to drink.”

Edward - Pacoima, California

10.19.2007 | 10:37 pm
Andrea, I agree absolutely, and have thought this, encouraged it and passed on the idea where I thought it would matter for years. I live in Long Beach, Calif., and find the entire L.A. water system absurd.

First, why are we letting so much rainwater run straight into the sea rather than “harvesting” it? That goes for all the world.

It’s a perfect place to interject ourselves into the life of water and meet our needs without disrupting it. May this come to be SOON!

Lindacall - Long Beach, California

10.17.2007 | 7:48 pm
Geobacter Research at U Mass/Amherst on microbial fuel cells is producing 24-hour electricity plus a by-product of portable water from sewage with the National Science Foundation’s help.

rebythesea - Camarillo, California

10.17.2007 | 7:24 pm
Long Beach, Calif., is not the first city to impose rationing, as claimed in the story. Big Bear Lake has had alternate day, before 9 AM and after 6 PM only, watering for years. And no outside watering in winter.

Furthermore, the local water agency “buys back” turf, and there is a 1,000 square-foot limit on new turf. We seem to be surviving.

Of course, we are a “rustic” area, and we do not have quite the same pressure to have large, perfect, turf lawns as people in other areas have (we have NO turf in our yard). It can be done.

We take “Navy showers” and get nicely clean. We can wash dishes and clothes, and it is all not a hardship. Do not panic, folks.

Susan - Big Bear Lake, California

10.17.2007 | 7:22 pm
I think that it is ironic that Long Beach, Calif., sitting right next to the largest body of water on the planet, is thinking first of water rationing and not of building desalination facilities–particularly since the city has allowed or even encouraged rather phenomenal growth of industrial and residential building in the city. I live in the high desert, a very long way from the coast–where we do not have easy access to water.

Forty years ago, when Israel and Saudi Arabia’s installations were successful, people were advocating the building of desalination plants. Unfortunately, it was considered “too expensive” and easier to build aqueducts to “readily available” water.

Andrea Paysinger - Lancaster, California

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