Meanwhile, the San Diego County Water Authority gets less than 1% of its water from the state, a remarkable difference from the 95% the agency received from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California in the early 1990s.
How did they get there? Coincidentally, the motivation was from a threatened 50% reduction in water allocation due to drought conditions at the time.
[...]
Conservation became a way of life in San Diego. Water use per day has been reduced by 50% since 1990 and remains consistent with levels seen during our last drought between 2012 and 2016.
[...]
However, San Diego knew conservation could only be part of the solution. You can't conserve what you don't have so finding new water sources became part of the plan. One of the sources is the Claude "Bud" Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant.
[...]
The desalination plant now provides 10% of all water used in the county. It came online in 2015, during the last drought, and proved to be a stress test of sorts.
[...]
Waste water is captured and treated every day in cities around the world, but here, instead of discharging that water into the ocean, three to five million gallons a day will be treated at Pure Water Oceanside and then pumped into an aquifer.
After three to six months, the treated water will be extracted and delivered to customers.
"It will provide 30% of Oceanside's water supply and over the long-term, in addition to our recycled water supply projects, it will supply 50% of the city's needs for water by 2030," Dale explained.
This is a perfect case study of "if there's a will, there's a way." The world would do well to follow this example, and make massive reliability infrastructure improvements before their disaster...
This is a perfect case study of "if there's a will, there's a way."
The world would do well to follow this example, and make massive reliability infrastructure improvements before their disaster strikes.
Meanwhile on the east coast, there are still people dumping hundreds of gallons of water onto some grass they never step on.
Lecture: If you don't play in your lawn, let it become a self-regulating meadow. Better for the environment, easier on your wallet. Don't pull weeds unless they're an invasive species. Heck, I do this too despite playing on it, though I also pull the very thorny ones so I can easily go barefoot.
Did you know dandelions are not just some random weed, but a critical flower for bee and butterfly populations? They provide a large source of nectar well before other plants bloom.
I agree re: lawn. I can't wait for lawns to become passé in the mainstream. I'd love to see this suburban paradigm of single-family housing and mediocre personal lawns to be supplanted by this...
I agree re: lawn.
I can't wait for lawns to become passé in the mainstream.
Think thread is my happy place: future thinking green/grey infrastructure, ecologically beneficial green space, and community centric city planning. I lived in Amsterdam for a few years and the...
Think thread is my happy place: future thinking green/grey infrastructure, ecologically beneficial green space, and community centric city planning. I lived in Amsterdam for a few years and the functionality of walkable human centric transportation infrastructure, integration of greenspace, and passive/ecologically beneficial water management infrastructure really stuck with me.
What I am always struck by when looking at suburban neighborhoods in the US is that the basic "lawns" are common in poorer areas while established trees and shrubs are frequent in rich neighborhoods. National Geographic even did a piece on it. Let's turn up the number of trees and turn the heat index down.
I used to live between Vondelpark and Rembrandtpark. I went through them everyday for coffee walks, bike rides, inline skating, running, workouts, picnicking on hot days with friends and a bottle...
I used to live between Vondelpark and Rembrandtpark. I went through them everyday for coffee walks, bike rides, inline skating, running, workouts, picnicking on hot days with friends and a bottle of rosé. The parks were great boon for my quality of life.
community centric city planning
I think this is a critical differentiator. Amsterdam city planning seems strongly opinionated about holistic lifestyle, which is in turn supported by a community that has a culture that values quality public spaces.
But this isn't found in the US, where individuals prefer to optimize for themselves through their home lawns, and public parks are seen as occasional weekend destinations rather than something to be integrated in daily life. (At least from what I can observe.)
We were just on the other side of Vondelpark, and I couldn't agree more. Even during daily commutes the park's green space was a treasured part of my day. I totally agree, we are much more of I...
I used to live between Vondelpark and Rembrandtpark.
We were just on the other side of Vondelpark, and I couldn't agree more. Even during daily commutes the park's green space was a treasured part of my day.
But this isn't found in the US, where individuals prefer to optimize for themselves through their home lawns
I totally agree, we are much more of I got mine society. It would be interesting to see if we could pass municipal legislation that supersede that though. I grew up in the Bay Area and so many of the little down towns are starting to develop their shopping areas and parking lots into office space and in many cases reducing the amount of commercial square footage (ie. for restaurants or shops). It would be great to see parking lots converted to town squares to encourage community use.
Well, I think it depends on where you live. There have been droughts in the South, but never in the Northeast that I can remember. There were a couple of fields on the hill on what used to be my...
Well, I think it depends on where you live. There have been droughts in the South, but never in the Northeast that I can remember. There were a couple of fields on the hill on what used to be my grandfather's farm, and after they stopped being mowed (and the cows were gone), the blackberry bushes took over and they started going back to forest. No way I'd walk barefoot up there and shorts are not a good idea. You need to watch out for the thorns and prickers.
So the question in rural areas is basically where do you stop mowing. The lawn around the house where I grew up in has gotten bigger over the years and I think it could be reduced quite a bit, but mom keeps paying someone to mow it. That lawn has never been watered, though - it's not needed.
There's no shortage of dandelions or other wildflowers around there either. Or bees and wasps. They keep trying to make nests in the house eaves.
Even in California, if you have a vacant lot in the city you do need to have someone mow it a couple times a year or the neighbors will complain.
There have been many, though none as severe as the West. Back in the 90's, central PA, there were definitely long dry spells where the creeks dried up and there were severe concerns about our well...
There have been many, though none as severe as the West.
Back in the 90's, central PA, there were definitely long dry spells where the creeks dried up and there were severe concerns about our well running dry.
You're kind of right though. A lot of the Northeast thus will be hurt bad by a severe drought, the same way Texas was completely unprepared to deal with a prolonged cold spell.
The time to build backup sustainable water supplies is now. Not when the creeks dry up.
Edit: Also I was mostly referring to suburbia lawns, which are often chemically controlled, high-water demand, laid out sod.
In a 3 block radius, over 30 homes, mine's the only one with more than a handful of "weeds".
It seems like a whole different world than in California, where the hills turn brown in the summer, lawns die every year if not watered, and dry creeks are normal. Compared to that, going back to...
It seems like a whole different world than in California, where the hills turn brown in the summer, lawns die every year if not watered, and dry creeks are normal. Compared to that, going back to upstate New York state is practically like visiting Ireland. (Not that I've been.)
Universal statements about water conservation seem kind of silly when regions differ so much.
Waste not, want not as they say. Part of mitigating global warming is focusing more on the long term than the short term. Much like Texas, you don't want to be caught offgaurd by more-frequent...
Waste not, want not as they say. Part of mitigating global warming is focusing more on the long term than the short term. Much like Texas, you don't want to be caught offgaurd by more-frequent "once in a hundred years" weather events. Global warming is resulting in more unpredictable weather and getting caught offgaurd will kill people.
Crop failure will become more common. Water supplies may fluctuate heavily. Building more dams everywhere is probably prudent. Stockpiling a year or more of non-perishable food in one's home (gradually mind) is a great goal.
IMO every county should have some giant infrastructure dedicated to stockpiling food, water, and medicine. We're coming up on an age of unprecedented natural disasters. Worst case is, we never need to use it, and it just serves as a supply chain buffer.
The word “golf” is never anywhere in the article linked. I cannot understand why the first measure to limit wasting water in a water-deficient area is NOT limiting the watering of golf courses.
The word “golf” is never anywhere in the article linked.
I cannot understand why the first measure to limit wasting water in a water-deficient area is NOT limiting the watering of golf courses.
San Diego is prepared:
How San Diego County's water conservation efforts have prepared them for severe drought conditions
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
This is a perfect case study of "if there's a will, there's a way."
The world would do well to follow this example, and make massive reliability infrastructure improvements before their disaster strikes.
Meanwhile on the east coast, there are still people dumping hundreds of gallons of water onto some grass they never step on.
Lecture: If you don't play in your lawn, let it become a self-regulating meadow. Better for the environment, easier on your wallet. Don't pull weeds unless they're an invasive species. Heck, I do this too despite playing on it, though I also pull the very thorny ones so I can easily go barefoot.
Did you know dandelions are not just some random weed, but a critical flower for bee and butterfly populations? They provide a large source of nectar well before other plants bloom.
I agree re: lawn.
I can't wait for lawns to become passé in the mainstream.
I'd love to see this suburban paradigm of single-family housing and mediocre personal lawns to be supplanted by this paradigm — where dense urban districts interweave with expansive, high-quality public parks.
Think thread is my happy place: future thinking green/grey infrastructure, ecologically beneficial green space, and community centric city planning. I lived in Amsterdam for a few years and the functionality of walkable human centric transportation infrastructure, integration of greenspace, and passive/ecologically beneficial water management infrastructure really stuck with me.
What I am always struck by when looking at suburban neighborhoods in the US is that the basic "lawns" are common in poorer areas while established trees and shrubs are frequent in rich neighborhoods. National Geographic even did a piece on it. Let's turn up the number of trees and turn the heat index down.
I used to live between Vondelpark and Rembrandtpark. I went through them everyday for coffee walks, bike rides, inline skating, running, workouts, picnicking on hot days with friends and a bottle of rosé. The parks were great boon for my quality of life.
I think this is a critical differentiator. Amsterdam city planning seems strongly opinionated about holistic lifestyle, which is in turn supported by a community that has a culture that values quality public spaces.
But this isn't found in the US, where individuals prefer to optimize for themselves through their home lawns, and public parks are seen as occasional weekend destinations rather than something to be integrated in daily life. (At least from what I can observe.)
We were just on the other side of Vondelpark, and I couldn't agree more. Even during daily commutes the park's green space was a treasured part of my day.
I totally agree, we are much more of I got mine society. It would be interesting to see if we could pass municipal legislation that supersede that though. I grew up in the Bay Area and so many of the little down towns are starting to develop their shopping areas and parking lots into office space and in many cases reducing the amount of commercial square footage (ie. for restaurants or shops). It would be great to see parking lots converted to town squares to encourage community use.
Well, I think it depends on where you live. There have been droughts in the South, but never in the Northeast that I can remember. There were a couple of fields on the hill on what used to be my grandfather's farm, and after they stopped being mowed (and the cows were gone), the blackberry bushes took over and they started going back to forest. No way I'd walk barefoot up there and shorts are not a good idea. You need to watch out for the thorns and prickers.
So the question in rural areas is basically where do you stop mowing. The lawn around the house where I grew up in has gotten bigger over the years and I think it could be reduced quite a bit, but mom keeps paying someone to mow it. That lawn has never been watered, though - it's not needed.
There's no shortage of dandelions or other wildflowers around there either. Or bees and wasps. They keep trying to make nests in the house eaves.
Even in California, if you have a vacant lot in the city you do need to have someone mow it a couple times a year or the neighbors will complain.
There have been many, though none as severe as the West.
Back in the 90's, central PA, there were definitely long dry spells where the creeks dried up and there were severe concerns about our well running dry.
You're kind of right though. A lot of the Northeast thus will be hurt bad by a severe drought, the same way Texas was completely unprepared to deal with a prolonged cold spell.
The time to build backup sustainable water supplies is now. Not when the creeks dry up.
Edit: Also I was mostly referring to suburbia lawns, which are often chemically controlled, high-water demand, laid out sod.
In a 3 block radius, over 30 homes, mine's the only one with more than a handful of "weeds".
It seems like a whole different world than in California, where the hills turn brown in the summer, lawns die every year if not watered, and dry creeks are normal. Compared to that, going back to upstate New York state is practically like visiting Ireland. (Not that I've been.)
Universal statements about water conservation seem kind of silly when regions differ so much.
Waste not, want not as they say. Part of mitigating global warming is focusing more on the long term than the short term. Much like Texas, you don't want to be caught offgaurd by more-frequent "once in a hundred years" weather events. Global warming is resulting in more unpredictable weather and getting caught offgaurd will kill people.
Crop failure will become more common. Water supplies may fluctuate heavily. Building more dams everywhere is probably prudent. Stockpiling a year or more of non-perishable food in one's home (gradually mind) is a great goal.
IMO every county should have some giant infrastructure dedicated to stockpiling food, water, and medicine. We're coming up on an age of unprecedented natural disasters. Worst case is, we never need to use it, and it just serves as a supply chain buffer.
The word “golf” is never anywhere in the article linked.
I cannot understand why the first measure to limit wasting water in a water-deficient area is NOT limiting the watering of golf courses.
Because golf courses make money, and personal lawns do not.
And legislators are more likely to be golfers than your average person.
Not every one of them, and not everywhere. Many golf courses solely serve the local golfers. And another reply definitely confirms this.