Global climate change becomes local reality for millions
Water emergency begins as western US bakes in 1,000-year drought
Climate change, long seen as a somewhat abstract phenomenon affecting “others” around the globe, is fast becoming a local reality in many places.
For millions of homeowners in Southern California, it’s literally coming home on June 1 in the form of emergency water restrictions caused by a mega-drought experts say is the worst in 1,000 years.
By the end of summer, lush green landscapes – an appealing feature of many neighborhoods just like mine – will be a mere memory for many. Not much will survive once-per-week outdoor watering.
Record heat waves in India, melting permafrost in the Arctic, disappearing glaciers – they’ve mostly been far away and easy to ignore.
When it comes to a neighborhood near you, there can be no more denial. It’s real, it’s happening now and it’s ever more urgent that solutions be found.
We’ve known for some time that a long-term mega-drought in the western US is unprecedented in its scale and duration.
But the extent of it literally was brought home to millions of us in Southern California with the April 27 announcement from the largest agency providing water to the region, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD).
In its announcement, the MWD said it is limiting outdoor watering to one day per week for six million southern Californians effective June 1.
“One-third of Southern Californians face new restrictions limiting outdoor watering to one day a week under an unprecedented action taken by the Metropolitan Water District to dramatically reduce water use in communities most affected by the state’s historic drought,” the MWD said.
The Metropolitan Water District is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provides water for 19 million people in six counties.
The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies. The new restrictions apply to dozens of cities and communities in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties that receive water from the State Water Project.
“With deliveries from the State Water Project severely reduced over the last three years because of drought, these communities face water shortages this year,” the MWD said in its announcement.
“The reality is, this drought has left us without the water supply we need to meet normal demands in these areas,” said MWD General Manager Adel Hagekhalil.
“To make sure we have enough water for their basic human health and safety needs, everyone in these communities must immediately and dramatically reduce their water use,” Hagekhalil said.
The State Water Project on average supplies 30 percent of the water used in Southern California.
However, three consecutive years of severe drought conditions have resulted in the lowest deliveries ever from this critical supply.
As if to add an exclamation point to the previously approved restrictions, on May 23 California Gov. Gavin Newsom warned of more to come.
At a meeting with the state’s largest urban water suppliers, Gov. Newsom called for an increase in water conservation and urged them to take more aggressive actions to combat drought and engage their customers to ensure all Californians are doing their part to save water.
Newsom warned that if his voluntary approach to conservation does not result in a significant reduction in water use statewide this summer, the state could be forced to enact mandatory restrictions.
“Every water agency across the state needs to take more aggressive actions to communicate about the drought emergency and implement conservation measures,” Newsom said. “Californians made significant changes since the last drought but we have seen an uptick in water use, especially as we enter the summer months. We all have to be more thoughtful about how to make every drop count.”
In July 2021, Newsom had called on Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15%. At the end of March, after the state failed to meet its 15% goal, the governor issued an Executive Order calling on local water agencies to escalate their response to the ongoing drought.
According to the governor’s office, the climate crisis has resulted in the western United States experiencing one of the most extensive and intense droughts on record. January through March this year were the driest first three months in the state’s recorded history; the state’s largest reservoirs are currently at half of their historical averages; and the state’s snowpack is just 14 percent of average.
According to the governor’s office, the state is calling on Californians to take immediate action to avoid a crisis, including:
Limiting outdoor watering – cutting back by even just one day a week can save up to 20% more water.
Taking shorter showers. Going to a 5 minute shower to save up to 12.5 gallons per shower when using a water-efficient shower head.
Taking showers instead of baths – a bath uses up to 2.5 times the amount of water as a shower.
Using a broom instead of a hose to clean outdoor areas to save 6 gallons of water every minute.
Washing full loads of clothes to save 15-45 gallons of water per load.
Adding urgency to the governor’s appeal the California Water Resources Control Board on May 24 voted to adopt emergency drought regulations in line with Newsom’s executive order.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times the new rules increase conservation requirements for water agencies and prohibit the watering of grass that is “non-functional” at businesses and in common areas of subdivisions and homeowners associations.
The regulations define “non-functional” turf as grass that is “solely ornamental” and not regularly used for recreational purposes or community events.
In addition, the new regulations outlaw the use of drinking water for irrigating decorative grass at commercial, industrial and institutional properties.
These new regulations are in addition to those adopted by local agencies for individual homes and there are exemptions for some grassy areas and to keep trees from dying.
The state Water Resources Control Board also required local water suppliers statewide to activate their local contingency plans to prepare for a shortage of up to 20%.
“We need to activate Californians and really lean into the conservation that we’re needing to see,” said Joaquin Esquivel, chairman of the state water board.
Earlier in May, Gov. Newsom had visited a Metropolitan Water District water recycling facility to discuss his administration’s response to the ongoing mega-drought affecting the western United States.
Aimed at highlighting his agenda to encourage conservation, at the May 17 event Newsom noted that January through March were the driest first three months in the state’s history.
“California will need to use every tool in its toolbox to safeguard our communities, businesses and ecosystems from the severe, climate-driven drought being felt throughout the West,” Newsom said. “The state is taking urgent action to tackle drought impacts, drive water savings, and empower local water agencies to step up conservation measures across the state. All of us must take aggressive action to meet these challenges head-on while we work to build a climate-resilient water system.”
In a related development, the other major source of water for Southern California – the Colorado River – is also dangerously depleted.
According to the Southern Nevada Water Authority the Colorado River Basin is experiencing the worst drought in recorded history. Since 2000, snowfall and runoff into the basin have been well below normal.
“These conditions have resulted in significant water level declines at major system reservoirs, including Lake Mead and Lake Powell.”
Both reservoirs provide drinking and irrigation water to millions of people and agriculture in western states including California, Arizona and Nevada.
Because of the two decades of drought, the elevation of Lake Mead has dropped by nearly 150 feet since 2000.
“This prompted the Secretary of the Interior to make the first-ever shortage declaration, which reduces the amount of water available to Nevada and other water users. The risk of shortage remains high in future years,” the Southern Nevada agency says.
From global to local
Climate change has until recently been viewed as a global issue affecting everyone on the planet. Indeed it is, and will remain so.
But as its effects become more directly tied to current weather events – being cited as a major cause of specific heatwaves, fires, droughts, floods – it has now become a local issue in many locations.
This is a most significant transformation. It makes a global issue personal. We are all being directly affected and now we are experiencing it in ways not seen before.
The water restrictions being introduced in southern California are just one of many examples. But in their effect, they are the same as measures being taken in locations around the world: they are forcing individuals to take personal responsibility for mitigating the effects of a global phenomenon.
This new development makes concrete and personal what until now has been largely abstract and impersonal. It is sure to raise awareness on a massive scale.
It is not a moment too soon. For decades, climate scientists and experts from national and international bodies have been warning that time is running out. To avoid the extreme consequences of increasing temperatures, the world has to reach net zero carbon emissions within the next 10 years.
With climate change becoming a local issue, perhaps the odds will move in our favor. As we save precious gallons of water in ways big and small, each person will be constantly reminded of their personal role in ensuring the survival of humanity.
In these terms, it might even be viewed as a positive development.
Wow, this is terrible news for the three Western States, Warren. A huge and extremely difficult situation to rectify. Thanks for a very interesting article.