Strict Water Rationing Enacted in California

[nkawtg]

Mods please move this thread if it's in the wrong place - I know this is the Food Legislation section but I couldn't find a spot for Water.


Many Californians to face strict water rationing allocations which could result in a 500 dollar fine if a household is deemed wasteful.


Water rationing hits California: limit of 50 gallons per person per day or face fines of $500





http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Water-California--board-Fine-Drought-266362181.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/047061_water_rationing_California_drought.html

http://www.sgvtribune.com/general-news/20140927/daily-water-allocation-could-be-the-next-california-drought-strategy

http://www.irwd.com/liquid-news/irwd-receives-state-approval-for-water-conservation-alternate-plan

http://www.irwd.com/services/residential-water-rates

http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/indoor.html

[Ms. Albatross]

Water rationing hits California: limit of 50 gallons per person per day or face fines of $500

I haven't read the articles yet so maybe one will answer my question.  But I'm wondering how they know how many people live in a household?  I've never reported to my water company how many people live in my home. 

[Ms. Albatross]

Should have read the articles.  Here's my answer - sort of.

In some districts, water rationing allocation is also based on the number of persons who are known to be living at each address based on U.S. Census data.

I've only lived in my home 4 years.  There has been no census taken while I was here.  So do I get the self-report how many people live here?  What if it changes?  My daughter, who is in college, spends her vacations at home.  Do I get a higher water "allocation" while she is home?  Hopefully my water company will be sending out information to their customers soon to answer some of these questions.

The 50 gallons per person per day is the maximum allocated amount for all indoor water use, including laundry, showering, toilet flushing, drinking, washing dishes and hand washing for hygienic purposes.  According to the EPA, the average U.S. citizen currently uses 100 gallons per day, with 70 of those gallons consumed indoors.

[Ms. Albatross]

Mods please move this thread if it's in the wrong place - I know this is the Food Legislation section but I couldn't find a spot for Water.

Maybe you should have posted it here:
http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=43996.msg491574#msg491574  (Another reason to leave California)

[nkawtg]

Maybe you should have posted it here:
http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=43996.msg491574#msg491574  (Another reason to leave California)

Yep, it sure is another reason to leave California.

[mountainmoma]

The 50 gallons a day is one district. California is very large and has just a TON of independent water districts. Which is actually good, I hope they stay small and independent.

50 gallons is alot of water for a city house, totally doable. Previous large drought, when I was young, many more districts had low water limits.

So, how much water per person or household varies per each independent water district, as they all have a different water system and amounts of water available to work with. Across the state though the $500 maximum fine is applicable. In the town closest to me, they waive the fine if the person goes to "water school" a class to help them see how they can change this, so I dont htink anyone has actually paid any fine around here.

There is a thread already on the Ca drought, it is under General News - Current Emergency Situation, http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=47800.msg589819#new

[nelson96]

When I think of a California household I think of pools.  What are pool owners doing?  How much water gets splashed out or evaporated?

[mountainmoma]

Most Californians do not have pools. I live in an area where they are very rare --

Anyways, when you are under rationing, it is your choice how you use your water. You could not flush the toilet but once a day,let the lawn die, not garden,  for example, and top off your pool.

There are pool covers that float on top -- kind of like bubble wrap -- that cut way down on evaporation, and other expensive child safe covers that work even better.

And, as per usual, if you are rich, you can just buy more -- either by going over your allotment and paying the fines or by trucking in water. I here some rich households in expensive areas of southern California are paying to bring in water that way, so it is not thru the city water mains and is then not counted. I am very unclear as to where the water trucks are getting the water. Proabably the same way the bottled water companies get water, there seems to be some kind of work around for businesses in the water bussiness

[TexasGirl]

By squeezing water allocations they can milk consumers, drive out farmers and businesses that can't operate without affordable, available water.  Then drive down real estate values as people move away. 

At that point the Chinese government companies will be able to buy choice properties and rich farmland for pennies on the dollar.  After which the water will return.   

That's the plan anyway.  The borrower is slave to the lender, and China holds our debt.  Actually, China already holds a majority of mortgages on homes by purchasing bundled securities.

We are being sold out in so many different ways.

~TG

[Cedar]

California Drought Threatens Food Supply of All Americans; Collapsing Aquifer Sinking the Land
http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/americas-morning-headquarters/california-drought-cracked-20140521

Watch the video

Cedar

[ttubravesrock]

Living in a dry cabin made me realize how much water you really NEED to use per day.

If I count my showers at work and toilet use at work, I use approx 10 gallons of water per day. That's enough to shower, poop a couple times, and drink a gallon a day, as well as doing dishes every 3 days.

In the summer when I am gardening, the garden adds up to 20 gallons per day, but I can usually collect all of my garden water from the rain.

[Carl]

Living in a dry cabin made me realize how much water you really NEED to use per day.

If I count my showers at work and toilet use at work, I use approx 10 gallons of water per day. That's enough to shower, poop a couple times, and drink a gallon a day, as well as doing dishes every 3 days.

In the summer when I am gardening, the garden adds up to 20 gallons per day, but I can usually collect all of my garden water from the rain.

If you drink BEER, you will have more water to garden...

[Smurf Hunter]

This is one thing I don't miss about living in San Diego.  I have elderly family still living in the area, and whenever I call it's the same cliche conversation "we could sure use some of your northwest rain down here".   Guess what, there are plenty of times I could use 80F and sunny skies

Regarding beer, it easily takes 3x the water to make a given volume of beer.  Most of it due to hosing off the equipment as well as chilling the wort before pitching the yeast.
Also, the tap water down there sucks by my standards.  Then again, Washington/Oregon water sucks by Alaskan standards...

[Cedar]

Then again, Washington/Oregon water sucks by Alaskan standards...

Depends on the well or municipality. I don't like one well or the spring on our farm, but I love the other well water. Mom's water used to be blood red coming out of the tap at the last house, my Canadian farm, the hand dug well water was icky, but the drilled well water was a bit better. I have an issue tasting iron. Ugh.

Cedar

[Smurf Hunter]

It's really just plain luck that the city I live in is fed from a well/aquifer and not reservoir.  Apparently there's a lot less "treatment" as a result, so flouride and chlorine are much less compared to other municipalities.  When it comes to beer/wine making, I keep reading about all the magic folks do to condition their water prior to brewing.  Usually the pH is way off, or there are other mineral oddities to neutralize.  Ask any soCal home brewer about their water treatment routine.

I have neighbors that lived in Alaska for several years.  They are Canadian FWIW, but they claim their water in AK was glacier fed and perfect.  Sounds good, but I have yet to sample for myself.

[mountainmoma]

Make wine where there is no wastage -- Coming from drought central here --

water math goes like this, rinse out the carboy/equipment with a plant safe solution -- sterilizing water goes to trees and bushes that need the water and you would have to water anyways. (This works for your beer making equipment too, excepting that the beer making starter stuff is dry like grains and dried hops, where as wine making base is fruit that is full of moisture.) Drought stricken areas of Northern California do grey water, exceedingly common, probably not so much up in Washington state, so there is no wasted water unless you have contaminated it with some chemical that isnt plant safe. Most of us just do not bring any such home -- so no problem.

Smoosh fruit you weren't going to use for anything else, fruit that grows here with no irrigation, like white muscat grapes or prickly pear fruit, strain this free, excess liquid into the carboy, add airlock, put somewhere out of the way.

Save water the next summer by drinking wine instead of water.

[ttubravesrock]

I have neighbors that lived in Alaska for several years.  They are Canadian FWIW, but they claim their water in AK was glacier fed and perfect.  Sounds good, but I have yet to sample for myself.

Alaska is a really big state.

There are quite a few areas (especially near old mining claims) that have problems with arsenic.
I don't have a well yet at my new place, but I'm hoping that it will turn out to be pretty good.

[TiredOldGrunt]

Lemme guess, if you get caught collecting rain water you will be jailed.  Damned if you do, damned if you do!

[mountainmoma]

Rain water collection --

No -- you are thinking of COlorado-- I believe it is illegal there

It is not only legal in California, but incentivized by some local water districts, so you can sometimes get incentives on rain water collection systems. Not much, and not often, usually they do something like give you a 55 gallon barrel, which is pretty much useless given it doesnt rain 7 months in a row - or more. But, I guess they feel it is getting people to think about it and being encouraging. This is not state wide, it was done in a few water districts in this county, like I said part of overall water saving awareness campaign. I do live in one of the counties with the least water useage in the state. They also will throw free rain water collection and storage workshops, not only tank storage, but the concept of ground storage(swales) keeping water from running off the property.

The real cost is storage.

[Smurf Hunter]

You know what I would do if I lived someplace with this restriction...

Since these ration periods are seasonal, there's an opportunity to accumulate water while it's permissible.
Not unlike other preps, whether it's cheap silver coins, ammo or food stores.  Buy when stuff is available or less expensive.  Same with water.

Assume you've got some water storage barrels, maybe a chain of 55gal barrels like this:


All you do is run your garden hose spigot inline through these barrels.  Sure, it'll take 55gal x # of barrels before the end of your hose sprays out water - BUT you have this decent sized buffer accumulated.  After the initial investment of filling the buffer, you perpetually have that much water on hand.

I realize this only works as a proactive measure, but it's what I'd consider in those circumstances.

[mountainmoma]

You know what I would do if I lived someplace with this restriction...

Since these ration periods are seasonal, there's an opportunity to accumulate water while it's permissible.
Not unlike other preps, whether it's cheap silver coins, ammo or food stores.  Buy when stuff is available or less expensive.  Same with water.

Assume you've got some water storage barrels, maybe a chain of 55gal barrels like this:


All you do is run your garden hose spigot inline through these barrels.  Sure, it'll take 55gal x # of barrels before the end of your hose sprays out water - BUT you have this decent sized buffer accumulated.  After the initial investment of filling the buffer, you perpetually have that much water on hand.

I realize this only works as a proactive measure, but it's what I'd consider in those circumstances.

I have generally thought of things like that as not worth the investment cost, as it is so little water, and our dry season is so, so long. But, as just an emergency measure, to store water on a property, as a prep, it is great. always have a buffer of water, especially in earthquake country,  but they would have to be strapped to the house. The grey water to garden systems, which are all over in this county, provide more useful water for out door usages during our super long dry season.

This is all a topic for another thread tho -- and, I am likely if I ever get the time and energy to move it up my jobs-I'd- like-to-do buffer, I am thinking of a small 4 or 5 barrel water system at the chicken coop, tied in to water saving chicken watering nipples. Not that it would be a signifigant overall to the properties water useages, but will do this, the chickens will get better water (rainwater) I wont have to haul water, whichis a time suck, and it will be automatic, in case there is emergencies, etc....and their dedicated run's roofing is more than enough catchment a a small system like this can provide water over the dry season -- but that is parenthetical and off topic. If it ever moves up the list, I will start a thread----

[Smurf Hunter]

I have generally thought of things like that as not worth the investment cost

I should disclose that I setup a 3x 55gal roof catchment system a few years back.  It will fill up in a single day of continued heavy rain, and also be used up even on my tiny suburban lot in just a couple hot (is 85F hot?) days on my lawn and garden.

I think I paid $15 each, as they were used Dr. Pepper sodapop syrup containers.  It was more of a hobby/learning project.