Livable Places Update – January 2014
Water – A Dry Start to 2014 and Strategies for Resiliency
The New Year is off to a very dry start, following the trend of the last two years, which led Governor Brown to officially declare a drought emergency in the state
Cash for Grass
Local water agencies across the state are offering property owners financial incentives to convert lawns and high-maintenance yards with more water-efficient drought-tolerant landscaping.
Pay as You Save
Urban water conservation provides more opportunities for cost-effective water savings in order to meet California’s growing population demands.
Water Rationing
Faced with debilitating drought conditions and a long-range forecast that leaves relief in doubt, the Sacramento City Council has enacted severe water rationing requirements on residents and businesses with increased enforcement.
Low Impact Development (LID)
Local governments must act to make the most of the precipitation to come. Low impact development helps maintain sufficient water supply and quality and reduces runoff by allowing more rainfall to infiltrate into the ground where it can replenish precious groundwater systems.
Stretching Our Water: Graywater
Graywater systems help communities stretch their water supplies by using existing water twice. Water reuse is simple and affordable and an immediate action that communities can take to start conserving this precious resource.
Resources
For more information on water conservation, see the the Local Government Commission’s Ahwahnee Water Principles and Guidebook, which were quoted extensively throughout this article.
