Drought in California - Here We Go Again!

By Mayor Jeff Maloney

Writing this column feels like déjà vu, as I wrote a column on the same topic in my first term as Mayor. It might be repetitive, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s important enough to revisit.

Contrary to popular belief, the Los Angeles area is not a desert. This is a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. We benefit from latitude, geography, and the nearby Pacific Ocean that gives us the weather Southern California is famous for. But this climate can also be unpredictable, and we’re currently in the driest period in over 1,200 years. The only responsible course of action is to change our habits to save water.

While agricultural water use dominates in many parts of the state, here in coastal Southern California, the vast majority of water goes to urban uses (think residential, commercial, industrial, etc.). Of that amount, almost 50% goes to irrigating landscape. That’s right – in the middle of a historic drought, we’re literally pouring nearly half of our potable water into the ground. We can’t change rainfall patterns, but we can (and we must) adapt to our new reality.

When I wrote about water and drought issues four years ago, I was optimistic that a modest approach on an individual basis could help the problem. Now I feel the time for incremental change is over. We must think big and implement meaningful change.

Although the City recently adopted water use restrictions as required by the State (https://www.cityofalhambra. org/615/Drought-Updates), more must be done. In addition to these measures, I am calling for the following policy changes and projects that will support conserving as much water locally as possible:

• Incentives and code amendments to encourage replacement of water-intensive landscaping with California native and drought tolerant plants on private property;

• Moratorium on citations for dying lawns during drought and periods of transition to drought tolerant landscaping;

• Installation of infrastructure on our streets and public properties that capture and treat storm water, such as green streets, subterranean cisterns, and bioswales;

• Acceleration of the City’s tree planting program to help mitigate urban heat island effects and to retain soil moisture;

• Code amendment to allow residents to install gray water irrigation systems to reuse household water safely in our gardens;

• Increased rebates for water-saving devices like dual flush toilets, rain barrels, and efficient washing machines.

While we must take measures to conserve water, it’s important that we don’t cut off the supply where irrigation and outdoor water use serves the greatest good: public parks, ballfields, and public pools. Many Alhambra residents happen to be renters, live in apartments, or otherwise do not have access to private yards. Enjoyment of our parks and public facilities is unmeasurably beneficial to our families and I will continue to support keeping them safe, clean, and green.

Do you have ideas for water conservation? Concerns about the impact of water restrictions? A suggestion for policy changes? As always, please let me know via email: jmaloney4alhambra@ gmail.com.