19 Comments

• Daniel Dykstra says:

  July 21, 2009 at 12:18 pm

  I have no objection to saving water. However, there should be a law enforced in apartments like where I live now. There is such water wasted inclusive in the showers. I have asked repeatedly in the 4 years that I have lived here that they fix the water problems. This unit has 8 apartments in it. Someone flushes a toilet, turns on a dishwasher, takes a shower, washes their hands in one or more of the OTHER apartments…. causes my shower to extend to 15 or 20 minutes. I have to stand there waiting for the almost scalding water to turn normal again before continuing my shower and then stand out again as the water turns super cold before returning to normal and then the cycle gets repeated several times before nearly any shower is completed. I get the best shower at 4 in the morning — even though it takes about 5 minutes for the cold water to turn warm…… but at least the water temperature remains consistent.
• Cliff says:

  July 21, 2009 at 12:34 pm

  This just frosts me over! Southern California suffers with a, “drought” because a lefty, loony, liberal judge signed an order requiring that much of the water from the Sierra’s, runoff, be dirverted OUT TO SEA, in order to protect a stupid fish!!! This also dramatically reduces the water to central California farmers and ranchers and puts their crops and livestock in danger as well.
  • Cliff says:

    July 21, 2009 at 12:37 pm

    This just frosts me over! Southern California suffers with a, “drought” because a lefty, liberal judge signed an order requiring that much of the water from the Sierra’s, runoff, be dirverted OUT TO SEA, in order to protect a stupid fish!!! This also dramatically reduces the water to central California farmers and ranchers and puts their crops and livestock in danger as well.he
• Jamie says:

  July 21, 2009 at 12:52 pm

  Cliff, if you really think that’s the case (especially since you had to post it twice), then you are misinformed and using the classic conservative viewpoint as an argument (lefty liberals… so inventive!) . Yes, the Delta-Smelt case has led to diversion, however snowpack is down, and has been for the past three years. We are in a drought, and climate changes will excerbate the situation for years to come in this desert that we live in. I’m sure you’re the person who, on a cold day, goes “what global warming? There’s no such thing; the lefty liberals made it up.”
  • Other Factors at Play says:

    July 22, 2009 at 8:14 am

    Maybe the fact that most of the residents/businesses in Central California have no water meter and can use as much water as they want plays a factor.

    They pay $15 per acre foot of water for the farms in Sacramento where they grow rice… RICE!!!! We’re paying $700 per acre foot here and it’s going up to $781 in September.

    Follow the money!
  • zacksmom says:

    August 7, 2009 at 8:26 pm

    Jaime,

    Cliff is right. I saw a news report on TV about this and it is very sad what is occuring in Northern CA. Farms will have to cease operation if this continues. Farms that have previously operated without these problems for 50 years. I have visited Northern CA many times and even 17 years ago the citizens of those communities were serious about saving water and not using too much in their homes. I thought it was odd that long ago when we in Southern CA waste so much water. Then I observed it again 2 years ago in Kern County in a small community where the citizens were very serious about saving water knowing that when the well runs dry it is indeed dry.

    People in the government need to quit pandering to environmentalists and realize that people and our survival matter more than a fish. Especially when taking the action they did will destroy an entire industry in CA and threaten the food supply of the nation.

    BTW, the global warming thing is not proven and is going to be a great way for the Democrats to tax the Hell out of citizens. BTW also, I have front loaders, rarely run my A/C, have the energy star appliances and a car that gets 35 MPG. I don’t do it for the government, I do it to save money and not be wasteful.
• itsme says:

  July 21, 2009 at 1:21 pm

  Why not go down to Big Lots, purchase a cheap kitchen timer and stick it on your bathroom counter.
  • Chefgal says:

    July 21, 2009 at 3:03 pm

    No kiddin. Seriously, you don’t need a shower timer, you just need a watch with an alarm setting or kitchen timer. Or better yet, count time yourself. Bhaha.
  • GREG says:

    July 23, 2009 at 12:40 pm

    Don’t buy a timer from Big Lots….Its junk from China going to our landfills after it breaks.Mine broke in ! day!
• SEAN IN NEWPORT BEACH says:

  July 21, 2009 at 2:11 pm

  This aint even a drop in the bucket for our water needs.
  What we really need is a few nuclear powered desalination plants to create fresh water
• OC Reader says:

  July 21, 2009 at 3:10 pm

  I guess even OC Register editors need their articles proof-read by others. Cutting showers from 8 minutes to 5 minutes will save 17 gallons (16.5 gallons rounded up) per shower, not 27.
  • Pat Brennan, green living, environment editor says:

    July 21, 2009 at 3:25 pm

    Thanks for math check, and your number looks correct. Figure removed for now; asking company that provided figures to revise.
• rdeight says:

  July 21, 2009 at 3:47 pm

  Even a timer will not get my 16-year-old to take shorter showers. I’ve tried everything short of going in and turning off the water myself.
• shadaze says:

  July 21, 2009 at 3:54 pm

  what should be done to save water is stop those who water their lawn for hours everyday; who water their driveways… use a broom, it’s not that difficult; who leave the water running while they are soaping up their car to wash it; fix sprinklers that water the sidewalk rather than the lawn; the list could go on …and on …and on.
• Luxuriating says:

  July 21, 2009 at 7:54 pm

  My main pleasure in life is standing in the hot shower, while it warms my muscles and helps reduce the stiffness and pain in my neck and back.
  But I do have a clock I can see from my shower. Otherwise I’d stay all day.
  The good news is, my water heater only holds 50 gallons.
• Sunshine says:

  July 21, 2009 at 8:28 pm

  Shadaze it right but even homeowners arn’t the main problem. All of the condo and homeowner association use massive amount of water to keep their open areas green. I have called and called to have our homeowner assoication stop watering for 50 min 4 times a week. The best part of the story is they just sent a letter letting me know that our fees are going up because of increase in water rates???? Or how about the massive amount of water that golf course use. Or how parks and school over water their grounds. The water district just sent our letter about increasing our water rates but it needs to be funded by everyone not just home owners. Does a park or school really care if the water rate increase – of course not the tax payer are footing those bills anyways.
• John S. says:

  July 22, 2009 at 8:09 am

  Caltrans could help by turning those fountains off along the freeways.
  The pavement on the SA bike trail is also routinely watered at 5:00pm It is nice to cool off while going thru.
• DESAL NOW!!! says:

  July 22, 2009 at 2:54 pm

  We could have 50 million gallons of fresh drinking water per day if the state would get off its @$$ and approve the seawater desalination facility in Huntington Beach.

  C’mon Coastal Commission!!! Get on with it!!!
• Doug says:

  July 27, 2009 at 4:32 pm

  As OC Reader mentioned, the savings per shower is about 17 gal per shower, not 27. Thus the water savings is more like 6,000 gal per year, not anywhere near 20,000 gal per year unless you are taking 3 to 4 showers per day. Also, 44 gal in 8 minutes is 5.5 gpm which is a pretty high flow shower head, so you will only save about 3000 gal per year if you have a low flow head (2-3 gpm). I am all for saving water, but I hate to see over-inflated facts presented like this.