‘Just a Flick of the Wrist’

Your editorial “Just a Flick of the Wrist,” concerning water conservation, was right on target. This has obviously been a very dry year statewide. However, with holdover reservoir and groundwater storage, our supplies will be good through this year. Next year, however, is a question mark.

In years like this, water conservation programs become increasingly important, and the fact that roughly 40% to 50% of our residential water use is dedicated outdoors illustrates the need for a comprehensive program of conservation in landscape.

Enter xeriscape. Xeriscape, from the Greek xeros meaning dry, has quickly become the dominant outdoor water conservation program over the past six years in the West. It is simply defined as water conservation through creative landscaping. But it is much more than that. Xeriscape embodies appropriate plant materials, state of the art irrigation techniques, and proven maintenance practices for the semi-arid climate we call home.

The xeriscape “movement” has become a unique public/private sponsorship lead by landscape architects, contractors, plant nursery developers and water industry officials. Its roots are here in Orange County.

Its comprehensive conferences have attracted thousands of people in both the “green” and water industries. It’s a concept whose time has come.

Southern Californians must landscape with our semi-arid desert climate and very limited water supplies as their pre-eminent thought.

With a properly installed and maintained xeriscape, Southern Californians can look forward to a landscape that is extremely green and attractive and yet uses less of our precious natural resource--water.

JAMES A. VAN HAUN

Intergovernmental Relations

Specialist,

Orange County Water District