They should stop growing almonds. It takes something like two gallons of water to grow a single nut.
I wonder why they do water restrictions rather than just raising the price of water?
So the major user of water, agriculture, is left untouched? Just better reporting on how much water they blow through? Barely nibbling around the edges of the problem.
because raising the price doesnât really affect the people and companies that can afford it.
**Plus it doesnât have an immediate effect. Water usage wouldnât slow down for a couple of months until people really started to look at their water bill.
What the hell are âacre-feetâ?
Could someone please convert that to gallons or liters?
1 acre-foot
= 43,560 cubic feet = 75,271,680 cu in
1 international acre-foot
= 43,560 international cubic feet
â 1233.48183754752 m3
â 271,328.072596 imp gal
â 325,851 3â7 U.S. gal
1 U.S. survey acre-foot
= 43,560 U.S. survey cubic feet
â 1233.4892384681 m3
â 325,853.383688 U.S. gal
â 271,329.700571 imp gal
One needs to understand how water is priced in the first place for agriculture water districts. When folks say, âag is only paying 10%â of the urban rate, theyâre missing two things: (i) ag water isnât treated like drinking water, which lowers the cost a bit, but (ii) ag districts arenât paying âfor the waterâ they are paying to have water they already own delivered to them by reimbursing the federal and state governments for the capital and O&M costs of the water systems. Some of that is priced on a per-delivered acre-foot, but it is manifestly not â as a legal or contractual matter â the state of Californiaâs water to sell in the first place. Itâs owned by the individuals and the ag districts who have long-term (20+ year) contracts for delivery, so itâs no small thing to say âoh, here, up your ratesâ
On the other hand, local urban water districts can up their rates because there are only the PUC to govern rates, and no long-term contracts to address. And itâs a much easier political fight to squeeze local urban districts than it is to squeeze out â say â the likes of JG Boswellâs cotton empire or the almond business.
Itâs pretty close to one of those pinko megaliters everyone is always going on about.
so, more then 80% of the stateâs water usage is in Agriculture and their measure has been to have the agriculture industry look at all the water theyâre using and really think about maybe not using so much⌠maybe⌠in the future⌠but only after everyone else in the sate is living like a fucking Kupa in the Mario Brothers movie.
Some perspective:
1 pound of beef requires 1,799 gallons of water
1 pound of soybeans requires 216 gallons of water
If thatâs not confusing enough, thereâs always the awesome Minerâs Inch.
I was in Palm Springs in 2010. Iâve never seen the desert before, and found it breathtaking in its beauty. Iâd also always heard the expression âitâs not the heat, itâs the humidityâ but didnât really appreciate what that meant until Iâd experienced it.
The resort I stayed in was a series of buildings surrounding a large golf course. And all I could think of as I walked by it was, where does the water come from? Part of the airport lobby had no ceiling. I asked someone, âWhat happens when it rains?â And they laughed, understandably.
I think golf courses shouldnât just reduce. They should be allowed to dry up. Iâve played golf. I donât think it would be so bad in a xeriscaped garden.
This desalination plant opens in North San Diego County this fall. California should be building these by the dozens, why they donât is anyones guess.
Itâs about fahking time.
My local water agency raised prices last year, with big jumps for each tier of usage. Sorry I donât smell as good as I used to, but my showers have become fewer and further between.
If only people (and property management companies and golf courses andâŚ) would get rid of their lawns, weâd be in slightly better shape.
Orange County has been filtering poo-water.
But how much is it in Olympic-sized swimming pools?
660,000 gallons
It takes six and a half years for the average American residence to use the amount of water required to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool (660,000 gallons).
Just think of all the BEER that couldâve been made with that water.
So 0.5.
Well, thatâs a dull answer. 
