Drought restriction is necessary


“If we just got rid of California agriculture, that would solve the problem.”

“If California controlled its immigration, there’d be less water consumers, and we wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

“A 25 percent reduction is an unfair request that only penalizes urban and suburban residents.”

Gov. Jerry Brown’s new mandatory restrictions call on California’s cities and towns to cut back on their water usage by 25 percent, sparking a barrage of complaints from residents. From the comments section of news sites discussing the restrictions, one would guess that the governor had asked residents to ration their drinking water to one glass a day.

The mandatory restrictions quickly turned into a blame game. Urban residents blame agriculture, refusing to change their own lifestyle until farmers reduce their water usage. Farmers call out suburban homeowners for unnecessary luscious lawns. Republicans blame immigration.

California now stands divided, with an us-versus-them mentality that, judging from the viciousness of comments sections and discussion forums, could turn the state’s first water restrictions into the state’s first civil war.

It is, however, time for urban residents to quit blaming and complaining and finally start conserving and adjusting at the personal level, a move which should have begun years ago. Cutting 25 percent from our potable water use sounds daunting, but this doesn’t mean a post-apocalyptic, dramatic scene of water shortages. In reality, it’s not that difficult for non-farming folks. The cuts will address water-wasting habits that are neither sustainable nor necessary for survival. Consider the fact that more than half of residential water usage goes towards landscaping — simply kicking California’s lawn habit will save a significant chunk of water.

It’s time to let go of the lawn. Californians love aesthetics, but green lawns can no longer serve as a sign of beauty in California. Instead, they represent ignorance and a blatant disregard for the state’s plight.

The need for water conservation definitely shouldn’t come as a surprise to Californians. At this point, policymakers have tried everything. Prior to the drought, the state’s gentle “Save Our Water” campaign politely asked people to take shorter showers. Then, the drought began, and last year, Brown set a goal of a 20 percent water reduction. Californians interpreted this as a suggestion and apparently ignored it, as water use actually rose in some areas.

This apathy and ignorance from residents is what made the mandatory restrictions absolutely necessary. Restrictions and penalties are coupled with rebate programs, monetary incentives for residents to make adjustments such as installing drought-tolerant landscaping or buying efficient appliances.

Instead of waiting around until they’re forced to make a change, Californians need to step up and take personal responsibility for their own water usage.

Those who object to lifestyle changes at the residential level are quick to point out that agriculture accounts for 80 percent of the state’s water use. Turning over acres of farmland, however, is much harder than turning over a few feet of front lawn. It’s a matter of letting go of a space that exists purely for decoration or altering an entire livelihood.

Yes, California agriculture uses 80 percent of the state’s water, but it also contributes to a sizable portion of the nation’s produce, an arguably more worthy cause than an aesthetically pleasing front yard.

“Drought tolerant” is the phrase of the summer in California. Homes, businesses and universities, including USC, will all need to transition away from turfgrass and utilize other alternatives.

Californians have ignored the drought for four years, effectively avoiding any major lifestyle changes. The pointing fingers and refusal to adjust is ridiculous. We need to start moving forward, and making the permanent lifestyle adjustments that will change how we use water in California. The reality is, even when the drought ends, water conservation will remain necessary.

Californians need to cut unnecessary water use. It’s that simple. Think before you turn on a faucet — long showers, hosing down cars, watering lawns — if we’re going to meet the 25 percent mark, we need to cut back on flagrant water-wasting.

Eventually, people might need to re-evaluate agricultural water use. But unless these people are farmers or policy makers, there’s not much they can personally do to affect this. But what every Californian can do is take personal responsibility for their own water use, something that has never been done before. Everyone is in this together, California, so quit the blame game.