Otto wrote on Nov 19, 2007 8:48 PM:I'm AMAZED (yet once again) how 'enraged' we all get when, say, there's a story of a cat that was killed mercilessly, yet there's been NOT ONE opinion about something FAR MORE important to our WELL BEING, like this story. Firstly, how did that so-called 'federal judge' garner such extreme power so as to literally shut down the flow of water to So Ca.? And why is there VERY LITTLE, if any discussion made by the press (or the 'authorities', or anyone) as to the righeousness of such a far reaching if not ludicrous and ill conceived ruling? It's presented as "Well, that's what the judge said so we'll just have to live with it." Huh? There's 15 MILLION people down here RELYING on that steady stream of water, you can't just cut it off and say 'whoops, that's the way it goes'. Endangered Smelt or not, there's genuine lunacy in thinking it's OKAY to deprive the public of something they have not only paid for and expect to be there, but absolutely without question NEED in order to survive. The state's original laws from way back regarding ownership and distribution of WATER were necessarily exclusionary of ANY kind of PRIVATE ownership of such because OF THIS EXACT SAME situation. That being ONE PERSON controlling the who, what and when of water and the rights to its usuage. I'll bet the farm there's going to be OUTRAGE when that tap finally runs dry though.

visitor wrote on Nov 19, 2007 9:37 PM:Stop building.

resident wrote on Nov 19, 2007 9:48 PM:Stop building, stop issuing water meters and stop more water use when we clearly do not have enough. Please vote out those council members that approved this un-sustainable growth.

not amused wrote on Nov 19, 2007 9:54 PM:Start eating more smelt.

What? No quote from Gary? wrote on Nov 19, 2007 10:52 PM:Where is the media monger? How could he let an article about water slip through his grasp without providing his oh-so insightful BS?

michael a. wrote on Nov 19, 2007 11:37 PM:California has plenty of water for people and wildlife. The problem is it's allocation and waste. Powerful agri-business consume the vast majority of our water, and they waste a huge portion of what they consume. And that is why our freshwater ecosystems are in dire situation. It always come back to the power and the money. And average people and our earth suffer the results. Fire your local politicians at the next election.

michael wrote on Nov 19, 2007 11:41 PM:There is enough water in California for the people and the wildlife. The problem is that about 90% of our water is consumed by big agribusinesses and most of what they consume is wasted. It just toooooooo trouble much to ask our politicians to allocate our water more fairly and force agribusiness to invest in more efficient irrigation technology. It's much easier for our wildlife to go extinct and to force our people and non-agri businesses to ration.

Matt wrote on Nov 20, 2007 12:36 AM:I am with Otto 100%, well said every word, who the hell gave that judge so much power, that is pure insanity, who cares about the stupid fish, maybe only a handful of people. That is no reason to say oh, ok, no more water. ...

Jon wrote on Nov 20, 2007 6:19 AM:How about a water project like The WPA had after the war? Build coast to coast aqueducts and pipe water were its needed, Great job for people on the public dole. Do this state by state.( and they actually pay taxes too). Oh yes! the Pacific ocean hasn't ran dry yet, How about desalination plants? They use them all over the world. On global warming (ya right) isn't the water level supposed to be rising?

Wasted water isn't agri water wrote on Nov 20, 2007 6:27 AM:It seems as if people think that water which is absorbed into the ground is wasted. It isn't. It hoes back into our water supply, although not immediately. I am no hydrologist, but I do know that our water goes into the aquifer. It is the water that drains off and is manditorily sent into our storm drain or sewer systems that is wasted. If we recycled our drainage water, not sewage water, we would have much less drain on our water supply. It was always against the law to have dual drainage systems, waste water and grey water - the building codes would not allow it. Now is the time for us to be more scientific in our water use. And by the way, that green grass and those trees you see are producing oxygen - the stuff we breathe ! There is trouble on the horizon with the delta smelt, but with new technology we can overcome it. The new desal plant in Carlsbad will help. So will additional new desal plants.

Visit Water District board meetings wrote on Nov 20, 2007 6:41 AM:Let's curtail additional use. No new water meters issued. No new customers (as far as new projects). Put a cap on what we already have. If we allow the additional water hook-ups that have already been granted "Letters of Availability" we are just plain crazy. We must go to our local Water District board meetings and make our voices heard. There should be bonuses for new, novel conservation uses.

Privatize wrote on Nov 20, 2007 7:52 AM:water and we will have all we need. Again, our wtaer authority "management" knew this was coming but did and still do nothing but sit back and collect paychecks. We need to rid ourselves of these folks, privatize and we will have water!

Randy wrote on Nov 20, 2007 8:44 AM:The City of Oceanside enticed Biogen-Idec (now Genentech) to move here by guaranteeing all the water they need. Where will the water come from? Farmers!

anotherview wrote on Nov 20, 2007 9:02 AM:Statewide, farmers overuse and waste water. Farming activity now consumes about 80 percent of the available state water supply. Households use about 5 percent. The rest goes to government, industrial, and commercial. Simple math shows that forcing farmers statewide to lower their water use by only 6.25 percent would equal the same amount of water as households use. Further, about 30 percent of farm irrigation water goes to waste in runoff from the land. Via political pressure, farmers resist (1) improving their farm irrigation practices and (2) recycling farm water runoff. The Golden State has plenty of water available, but the distribution and use of this water does not happen rationally. Farmers grab most of the water, and then waste nearly a third of it. So any fair and sound solution to the water supply problem must require farmers statewide to stop using and wasting so much water. Then others will have enough water.

No one wants to sacrifice wrote on Nov 20, 2007 9:22 AM:Not you, me or anyone. It is already too late people. Change is here and will get worse.

Concerned-1 wrote on Nov 20, 2007 9:23 AM:Michael has some good points, especially the political clout of agribusiness. However, the main issue is delivery. If we would have invested in the Peripheral Canal back in the 1980s, we would not have this problem. The San Joaquin Delta is an enviro-disaster waiting to happen. The Delta Smelt is the tip of the iceberg as far as problems there are concerned. We need a new canal and delivery system ASAP. Also, we must revise the way we think about storm runoff, reclamation and conservation, not necessarily in that order. We will survive.

shawn wrote on Nov 20, 2007 9:42 AM:Biogen-Idec (now Genentech) are you serious? Biogen merged with Idec Pharmaceuticals back in the early 2000s. Genentech is a separate company with no operations in San Diego, they're in the Bay Area. Simply put, more people equals less water as watere is a finite resource. We have so many people now that managing water is becoming very difficult. Too few people use water optimaly. I blame the public and primarily everyone who complains on this comment post as I'm sure none of you do much to help the problem.

Stop the water wrote on Nov 20, 2007 9:43 AM:to Farmers. Makes sense. I guess we can survive eating dirt. We are not a 3rd world country! The water is here we just need people running the water authority that are smart enough to get it.

Janet wrote on Nov 20, 2007 9:49 AM:I haven't fully educated myself on the issues with farm use of water, though I do know there is a lot of waste and that crops are grown that aren't appropriate to a desert. I believe we all can do a better job of conserving water. People believe they have a right to huge expanses of grass. The day I can walk through my neighborhood and not find water running down the street and into the gutter is the day I'll feel people are trying to do better with water waste. Bet I can step outside right now and find that somewhere in the next block.

jaque wrote on Nov 20, 2007 10:02 AM:Parks use far too much water for irrigating turf grasses (and in many cases, weeds).

Alf wrote on Nov 20, 2007 10:08 AM:Well, "Janet" at 9:49AM, you and I have observed the same thing. I live in Encinitas, almost every day I can not walk a half-mile in any direction without seeing water flowing down the gutter some place and I don't mean just a little. Regards, Alf.

Dazed & Confused wrote on Nov 20, 2007 10:17 AM:Those of us who started conserving water years ago will be hurt the most. We are already using less water and will have to cut back more. Life is getting too confusing. On the one hand, SDGE is encouraging us to plant trees to shade our homes. Firefigthers urge us to cut them back so that fire doesn't spread via treetops. Go green environmentalists are telling us to plant more vegetation in our yards to quell greenhouse gasses. Now there won't be any water left to be confused about because we will all be wearing dirty clothes on dirty bodies.

Stop giving excuses wrote on Nov 20, 2007 10:33 AM:to the Water Authority. Water runs into the gutter, into the ground, gets filtered as it moves to ground water or aquifiers only to be used again. The Water Authorities job is to get it back to our taps. They are doing a poor job of that. They are to blame, not voters, not draught not anything but their mismanagement!

sanitylost wrote on Nov 20, 2007 10:37 AM:Our current economic system relies on growth. People want more, more, more, bigger houses, bigger suv's, bigger everything. Just look at all the crap people have been brain-washed into thinking they actually need. Now we are brain-washing the the Chinese. The world will be denuded of all life forms and resources as 1 billion more chase the "American dream."

Stop Building, wrote on Nov 20, 2007 11:06 AM:Stop Planting Grass that requires huge quantities of water to maintain, Stop Overwatering said Grass. San Diego County and all of the cities within it and their short-sighted politicians should have jumped on the bandwagon of conservation/reclamation and re-use of gray water years ago. We need water for agriculture to grow food for us - we don't need acres of green, water-wasting lawns. Plant native California plants and xeriscape!

Waterwatcher wrote on Nov 20, 2007 11:41 AM:"Visit Water Board Meetings" is right. Now the water boards are made up of appointees or folks elected by campaign contributions from sprawl developers. We need to shine some sunlight on them quickly. They live in a LaLa land where they know our water supplies are running out, but keep right on cranking out service extensions to new rural housing subdivisions that will only increase demand for water we don't have.

Jim wrote on Nov 20, 2007 12:48 PM:Someone should take pictures of the yards of the waterboard members as well as that judge who has sole authority to dictate water allocation. I bet most members have huge swimming pools in the backyard which get used less than a dozen times a year...mainly sitting there with the water evaporating away. And I bet they also go golfing a few times a week on a lush green golf course and afterwards dine on a beautiful tropical foliage covered patio with a waterfall in the corner evaporating away. I bet the golf and food is paid via credit cards at water customers expense! When they turn off the golf courses, stop allowing new meters, stop watering the parks, tell people to stop filling their pools and do the same themselves...then I'll take it serious.

Ed wrote on Nov 20, 2007 2:09 PM:No worries! Desalinzation will save you at $1500 per acre ft. Get out your wallets suckers!

GFN wrote on Nov 20, 2007 2:43 PM:It's already too late. You are being slowly trained. Conserve a little bit, OK? Don't want to get folks alarmed; don't want to cry wolf; don't want to stop issuing permits for more houses; don't want to discourage tourism. Just get the folks to conserve a bit now, a bit more later, then a lot; that's how you train them. Increase the rates, because the less they use, the more water will have to cost per unit to cover the "fixed" expenses. Little by little...that's the ticket.

GFN wrote on Nov 20, 2007 2:48 PM: The really sad part is: The people who cut back now are the ones who will suffer the most next year when there are mandatory cutbacks of 10 to 20%...and there will be. The forecast for the next few decades; hotter and longer dry seasons with less rain and snowpack. Everyday, I see the Sprinter district planting hundreds of trees, and I think...is anyone paying attention?

Becky wrote on Nov 20, 2007 3:32 PM:What water shortage? I don't see it. The local governments are still issueing building permits willy-nilly, people are coming in droves to S. Cal., businesses are being built, tons of green lawns, etc. I am not going to conserve just so another fast food eatery, strip mall or more large homes with large yards are built. When the building stops, and there are no more yards with lawns, then I will conserve. Until then, I will water what ever the hell I want and when I want.

RKG wrote on Nov 20, 2007 3:34 PM:Cmon people.....we live in the middle of a desert. Water is ridiculously cheap and we keep pouring it on our sacred "lawns". When it runs out and the price doubles and triples, it will get your attention. The problem isn't the new homes where efficient landscaping and plumbing is required.....it's the existing homes , our addiction to sod, and poor irrigation and conservation ethics.

Concerned-1 wrote on Nov 20, 2007 4:35 PM:I beg to differ with those who say they will not conserve water until they put a moratorium on building. Nothing could be more damaging to the big picture. You folks are selfesh, and short sighted at best.

Unanswered questions wrote on Nov 20, 2007 5:49 PM:I was both surprised and pleased to re-read the comments here, especially the latest ones. It seems as if we have an educated population, and one that is willing to think. Here is a question for everyone - how do we re-route our grey water for non-potable use, when our huses are built on slabs ? I have given it a lot of thought and don't have any answer. Also, how do we recapture the runoff (if any) from our landscaping and add that to the grey water. The pumping and re-use is the easy part, what with some kind of applicator to drop a bit of salt or ordinary household bleach into the water, to keep it safe. Come on, inventors, let's have some ideas.... Please.

Publish Water District meeting times and places wrote on Nov 20, 2007 5:52 PM:Does the North County Times list the dates and times, as well as agendas , of the local water districts, just like they do the school boards and city councils ? And if not, may we request that you create a particular spot in your paper for everyone to easy reference. We need to start now attending every water district meeting. Take a look at their budgets ! Wow.

wakeUp wrote on Nov 20, 2007 6:59 PM:Stop the building, start requiring zero scape landscapes, close down the golf courses.

come on! wrote on Nov 20, 2007 7:26 PM:We're special! Why do we have to conserve water? So what we chose to live in an over priced desert built on total hype.I must be special, the amount it costs to live here.

ticked off wrote on Nov 20, 2007 9:24 PM:to Concerned 1, You will get cooperation on conserving water only when we see the counties curtailing building permits. In Big Bear they put the residence on rations, imposing heavy fines if they went over their ration. The residence did so well that more building permits were issued! When the permits stop coming for new building, I will start conserving, not until. They need to get serious. They want us to act morally and then they can get more dollars! I won't be party to their game, sorry but that is how I feal! I asked our county Supervisor what it would take to curtail the new building permits and he told me the water company has to tell them they cannot service the new homes. Everyone blames another, can't someone step up and do what it right for a change. What a bunch of gutless people we have in charge.

Hank wrote on Nov 20, 2007 9:43 PM:All our winter rain runs down the street and into the ocean. Every town should have it's own reservoirs to catch and store that rain.

Curtailment not for everyone wrote on Nov 23, 2007 7:05 AM:The more we read about conserving water, the angrier we get at the wanton display of arrogance the Water Districts show when they provide updated "Letters of Availability" like the one just issued by Vallecitos for the San Marcos Creek Project. In that they state that they as well as the Metropolitan Water District will have more than enough water for the project for at least the next 20 years. Balderdash. Our farmers have their water use curtailed and we have to save water, but the Creek Project has "more than enough" water. Come on. If we don't, how do they ?

Time is near - less water wrote on Nov 27, 2007 7:55 AM:The time for the judge in northern California to reduce the flow of water is nearing. We will soon be faced with insufficient water. What can we do to change the situation for the better ? Are we just going to sit here like lemmings or are we going to alter the way we live ? First, until the water situation is under control, there should be NO new water meters issued, and any project in the planning stages will just have to wait until we have no more problems with our water supply. To continue on our present course is disaster. We cannot and we must not allow new water meters - it is not common sense to continue. Stop now, and it may be necessary to change the laws as it isn't in the best interest (short term) of a Water District to stop granting meters - if the districts can force all of us to use less, they can have more customers and raise their prices !

Water Conservation Forums needed wrote on Nov 27, 2007 8:04 AM:Is there reason to conduct a Forum on Water ? It needs to be held in the evening and open to all. Why not hold such a forum in each city, and bring out the Water District's own conservationists ? Find out where excess water WILL be stored the next time it rains, instead of all of it going into the ocean. We have dams, and we probably have pipelines that are no longer used (Just a guess). We cannot waste water. We must adapt to new conditions wherever possible.