Governor Jerry Brown issued mandatory statewide water restrictions with a mandatory 25% reduction in water use through February 2016. This 25% reduction is a statewide, aggregate goal, not a specific goal directed at individual residences. That said, we all need to do what we can to cut back water use.

In a recent drawing on the CVG Facebook page, local residents were asked what they are doing to cut back on use of water. Here's what they said:

• No more car washes

• Watering lawn less

• Put in artificial grass*, flush toilets less, take shorter showers

• Shorter showers and gave up flower bed

• Water lawn once a week instead of twice a week

• Stopped watering lawn...planning to change the landscape

• Turn the water off when brushing and washing

• Bricks in the toilet tank to reduce water per flush

• Took out the grass

• Rain barrel system

• Shorter showers was mentioned numerous times

• Washing more clothes in bigger loads

• Put buckets out when it rains

• Rarely wash the car

• Using water saving shower heads

• Showering together (hmmm)

• Shower timers

• Showers instead of baths

• Take baths every other day instead of every day

• Soaking and washing dishes with half-filled sink instead of running water

• "If it's yellow, let it mellow...etc."

• Got rid of lawn and installed drip system

• Fixed all leaking faucets

• Buckets in showers to collect water as it warms up to use outside

California American Water provides low flow shower heads like this one as, well as faucet aerators and other conservation supplies to customers.

There are a variety of water conservation rebates available for Southern California residents under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Water District.  Visit socalwatersmart.com for more information. In addition to turf replacement rebates (which due to huge demand, as of May 12th stopped taking applications...but they they indicate checking back May 26th for possible new funding, terms and conditions), rebates are available for items like properly implemented rain barrels, high-efficiency clothes washers and toilets, weather-based irrigation controllers and rotating sprinkler nozzles.

* Artificial grass: California American Water explains why artificial turf is not included in turf exhange programs. Artificial turf is not a living landscape and does not increase biodiversity of plant, animal and insect populations, provide habitat for local fauna, foster healthy soils, cool surrounding air temperatures (artificial turf can get significantly hotter than surrounding air temperatures) or sequester carbon or produce oxygen like living plant material can. Artificial turf is not water free. It must be watered periodically for cleaning and may require chemicals periodically. And because artificial turf can get very hot in direct sunlight, water may be needed to cool it for comfortable use.