ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Conservation Is Good for Business

News item: San Clemente partially lifts a moratorium on development because local businesses and residents have done such a good job conserving water.

The sound of bulldozers starting up again may not always be glad tidings for those interested in conservation. But a city’s recent experience with mandatory water restrictions, considered the strictest effort in Orange County, has been successful enough to permit one aspect of commercial life to carry on. San Clemente’s results are instructive for others.

A year ago at this time, the city’s reservoir had dropped precipitously by about half, prompting dire predictions. With uncommon foresight, and facing a much more severe situation than its Orange County neighbors, San Clemente wisely decided it could not wait to act.

Its building moratorium was imposed in January, and in June, the city imposed a strict water-conservation ordinance. Among other things, it imposed odd-even watering regulations and threatened businesses with fines or having their water cut off entirely.

The city reports that water use has dropped by about 600,000 gallons per day from last year. Success is the combination of a sensible approach to curbing development with fairness in the enforcement of water restrictions. The rest of Orange County should take notice.