Just a Flick of the Wrist

Let’s face it: Water conservation can be a pain. Not that the efficient use of water is all that difficult, as Southern Californians discovered in 1976 and 1977, but people rarely think about how they waste water. They certainly do not like to be nagged about it. But ever since last winter it has been clear that serious water conservation this year is the prudent thing. Holdover reservoir storage will carry the region through this year, but a second mild winter could plunge California into the worst drought since 1977, and that was one of the most severe on record.

Both the City of Los Angeles and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California inaugurated conservation campaigns last week. Mayor Tom Bradley said that voluntary compliance this summer might well make it possible to avoid mandatory conservation later on. The people must take this possibility seriously, and city and Met officials should pursue the program aggressively.

There is, however, a very simple way for Southern Californians to save considerable amounts of water without any inconvenience whatsoever: Water lawns intelligently. Proper lawn watering alone could get the area through a moderate drought without the need for forced conservation.

Lawns and landscaping account for about one-half of all residential water use. And the experts at Sunset magazine have discovered that most homeowners apply at least twice as much water as their lawns need. Proper sprinkling not only will save massive amounts of water, it can also result in a more healthy lawn, Sunset said in its June, 1987, issue.

The city Department of Water and Power has available a special lawn-watering guide to help homeowners determine just how long and how often they should water for best results. Usually, watering twice a week, or every three days, is sufficient. Naturally, watering the sidewalk does no good whatsoever and wastes considerable water. Washing the car also is a big waster. Drive-through auto washers recycle their water and experience minimum loss.

Southern Californians can dust off their 1976-77 drought jokes, like taking a shower with a friend, and then get serious about saving water. It takes just a simple flick of the wrist, turning off the outside faucet at the right time.