L.A. is conserving water at record levels, but it’s not enough as drought worsens
After years of water use, Los Angeles uses a lot of water to fight a drought
It’s an understatement to say that Los Angeles is in a bit of a water crisis. The city’s historic water use is at a record high, and now, in a climate where climate change is happening, is where water conservation is desperately needed.
City officials say that as the climate warms, Los Angeles is facing a water shortfall. In the summer of 2016 there was an unprecedented burst of rain that led to an exceptionally high runoff. Combined with rainwater that the city did not have time to absorb, Los Angeles’ water supply was quickly exhausted.
Los Angeles is one of the major cities suffering from a lack of water as a result of climate change. In the summer of 2016, the city faced a shortage of 50 million to 100 million gallons a day of water, according to city officials.
The city and state have committed to meet those requirements in the first half of 2017.
“This is not a time for the Los Angeles City Council to be distracted with petty political posturing or the personal interests of individual members of the council,” said Dan Richard, spokesperson for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
When water is tight, the city’s water department may need to reduce its water usage. Los Angeles has instituted some drastic steps to cut water use in the past few years.
But this year, they have another challenge. Los Angeles is facing an historic drought, and California is now the second driest state in the union. As such, the city has turned to the state for help.
“The reality is water is the lifeblood for Los Angeles,” said Tom Schatz, director of UCLA’s Watershed Research Center. Schatz is also a member of the Los Angeles Times editorial board. “Every drop we use is a drop that comes directly from the aquifer, but there is not enough water coming out to meet the demands of the city.”
If water use picks up in Los Angeles, experts say it will be because the
