Readers React: How Californians can adjust to life without cheap, plentiful water

To the editor: We are not running out of water in California. We are running out of cheap, non-sustainably sourced water. (“So the drought has you watering less? It won’t matter much,” May 12)

A typical household may spend $40 a month for water. That’s incredibly low for something so valuable, and it has distorted our thinking over time.

Pricing water at its sustainable cost naturally promotes conservation and comes with other benefits. Single-family homes would be less desirable, and more efficient land use would result. Also, fracking would no longer be economically viable, and the water technology sector of the economy would grow. Finally, if desalination is used in coastal areas, more of the inland water supply could be made available for agriculture.

All good, as they say.

Ed Salisbury, Ontario

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To the editor: George Skelton uses half-truths and shaky logic to demonize farms already under the gun.

Despite claims that “it’s basically hands off agriculture,” large portions of California agriculture this year are suffering through a 95% cut in surface water allocation. That’s not a cut to sneeze at.

Skelton would do well to abandon the language of “slurping” and “devouring” when describing water used by farmers. Taking into account all water used in the state, the Department of Water Resources has identified that just 40% — not 80%, as Skelton is so fond of saying — goes to agriculture.

Mike Wade, Sacramento

The writer is executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition.

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To the editor: I appreciate what Skelton says about water use by homeowners being minuscule compared to agriculture. But the truth is that agriculture includes cattle farming, which is the real water guzzler.

Skelton talks about California nut growers doubling the amount of almond trees in the last 12 years. I wonder if he is aware that it takes more than 400 gallons of water to produce just one pound of beef. Cows eat massive amounts of grain that take massive amounts of water to grow.

Drive north on the 5 Freeway through the Central Valley and look at the numbers of cows. If you want to make an impact on the drought, stop eating meat. It’s that simple. Skelton and every other concerned Californian can start now.

Let’s talk about the real water guzzler when we talk about agriculture.

Mary Montes, West Hills

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