One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
SoCal saved a record amount of water last year thanks to torn-out lawns
Sprinklers water a patch of grass on the sidewalk in front of a house in Alhambra, California, on July 25, 2014.
(
Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images
)
Listen
0:43
SoCal saved a record amount of water last year thanks to torn-out lawns
Semi-arid Southern California's residents saved a record amount of water last year, more than 1 million acre feet, according to the Metropolitan Water District, the region's biggest water wholesaler.
That’s a year’s supply for two million households.
MWD's report says most of the water savings were accomplished through using less outdoors, as drought-tolerant landscaping replaced turf lawns, and smart timers controlled sprinklers to not overwater. Our low-flow toilets and super-efficient washing machines saved water indoors. The agency spent about $45 million in 2017 on rebates, education programs and ads to encourage conservation.
MWD has spent $1.4 billion since 1991 on programs to conserve water, to recycle wastewater and clean tainted groundwater. All those tactics contributed to the total amount of water saved in 2017.
The stormwater from last winter's big rains also helped to reduce demand for MWD's imported water, spokesman Bob Muir said. Other agencies capture the stormwater and use it to replenish groundwater basins, he said.
Looking ahead to this year, conservation will still be important. The mostly dry winter has given us a Sierra snowpack that's just 30 percent of average for this time of year.
Southern Californians used about 205 gallons of water each day in 1991, Muir said. Today, usage is down to less than 130 gallons per person per day.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
