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Readers React: Save water now, or face the consequences later

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To the editor: You would think that a serious drought would require serious action. But it seems that water use actually has gone up. The trouble is, as with global warming, too many people either deny the drought’s existence or just think it needs to be waited out. (“L.A. takes gentle approach to conserving water during drought,” Aug. 18)

The threat of fines only makes it an obvious money grab and is irrelevant to the issue (no amount of money can replace water once it’s gone for good). Reserving harsher measures until we reach a more advanced stage of the crisis makes little sense; why not do whatever possible to avoid reaching that stage?

The only way people will learn to conserve water seriously is if there’s less of it at their disposal. If water must be rationed, then ration it. Implement a system of “rolling dry-outs.” Offer incentives to homeowners who replace their water-sucking lawns with drought-tolerant ground cover.

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Otherwise, we’ll be looking at major-league stuff like timers on showers and bans on private washing machines.

Kevin Dawson, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Speaking of rationing and possible penalties, there is one big reason Gov. Jerry Brown was disappointed with the results of his request earlier this year for Californians to cut their water use 20% voluntarily.

People can see that if we have another dry winter there will be mandatory reductions. Those who cut back voluntarily will have a hard time cutting back another 20%. Those who did nothing will have a higher baseline to start from.

The way to solve this is to pass a law that makes the baseline from, say, a year ago. That would be fair to everyone and would lead to more voluntary cutbacks.

I could easily let my backyard grass die now, but I won’t consider it until something like what I suggest passes.

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Alex Magdaleno, Camarillo

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To the editor: I find it funny that in the same section as the article on the outcry over a giant slip ‘n’ slide in downtown L.A., there is a photo of a child submerged in water at San Dimas’ Raging Waters. (“In face of drought, critics say ‘Slide the City’ doesn’t hold water,” Aug. 16)

If we are really concerned about drought, how about closing down all water parks? The downtown slide will be transit-accessible to even the city’s poorest residents, and at $15 a ride is at least more affordable than any water park.

Downtown residents have a small environmental footprint: Apartments use less water and energy than a house and don’t have lawns that need watering. City folk are also more likely to use transit, bike or walk than residents outside the dense urban core.

How about we shut down Raging Waters and Soak City — and empty all the private swimming pools of Beverly Hills — before we start shaming city folk for wanting just a small taste of what the suburbs waste every day?

Dafne Gokcen, Los Angeles

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