The majority of readers responding to the Argus-Courier”s online poll June 12, 2008 do not believe reducing water use by 15 percent again this summer will be all that difficult.
Of those responding to the survey, 13.3 percent said it would be very easy, but another 43.3 percent said it would be somewhat easy.
A differing opinion was held by 36.7 percent who said it would be somewhat difficult and 6.7 percent who said it would be very difficult.
Half those responding said the easiest place to conserve would be in lawn and landscaping, while only 33.3 percent cited using low-flow showers as the easiest way to conserve water.
Here are some of the comments by those who responded to the poll:
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“I already have low-flow showers and low-flow (clogging) toilets. My washing machine is a front loader. I could use help with the lawn. If you provide a subsidy, I”ll rip out my lawn and put in drought-tolerant landscaping with a drip system. If you”re serious about this, then start offering folks an alternative.”
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“I”ve been conserving water since the drought of 1976-“77 and I”m sure that I”m not alone. We cannot pump any significant amount of groundwater because our aquifer is very shallow and is prone to saltwater incursion. And just remember that any additional building that we do here just makes our water shortage greater. Citizens, tell the Petaluma City Council to stop building until we have our water supply under control.”
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“Yes, let”s conserve again so we can be told we didn”t use enough water so the rates will be raised. I have always conserved, so it is hard to ask me for another 15 percent or even 5 percent. I go to work and see businesses watering with broken sprinklers and gallons of water going down the gutters. I call and I”m told, “Thank you. We will tend to that.” I go to work and the same places are doing the same thing all summer. You want us to call and report, but you do nothing. You just want to tell us what to do, but put out no effort to stop waste, even when it”s reported. I will casino online conserve like I always have and the people will waste like they always have and we will pay more for using less. Isn”t that the way it”s done?”
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“The problem is not lack of water, but lack of water in particular places. An organized civilization would build a system, albeit expensive in the short term, that would take water from where there is plenty or even too much one year to places having droughts. As usual, it”s a question of collective will.”
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“Through extreme conservation I”ve kept my water use very low for years. It”s difficult to see how I could drop another 15 percent.”
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“Not to pat myself on the back, but I am very conservative with water. I put rocks in the front yard ” no lawn, no watering. I let the backyard weeds dry up and I dig them up ” again, no watering. I used to enjoy a hot bath on Sunday night, but I haven”t done that in well over a year, a small sacrifice. We don”t flush the toilet if we only urinate. (More information than you need?) We only do full loads of laundry. I keep a bucket in the bath tub and fill it with water as I”m waiting for the shower water to warm up. That gets poured into the toilet tank when we flush.”
We rigged up an adjustable-flow spigot on the showerhead so we get wet, lather up, turn the water off and turn it on again to rinse off. The cars are dirty. There is no sense washing them as the morning dew catches all the dust in the air and they are dirty again in a week”s time. So, I don”t know how I can cut back much more than I already am. I think water conservation starts with people (and I know a few) who water their lawns every day. Anyway, just my two cents.”
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“It is not just about conservation by the existing homes and businesses. It is about responsible development. Our city government needs to understand that our water supply is not infinite. Why would we as a city allow a new health club to be built that will use more water in a day than most households do in a month when we are in a drought? It makes no sense.”
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“Never save water so that more development can come in. Never, never, never!”
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“Allowing a huge volume of fresh water to flow down the Russian River for the sake of 92 fish makes no sense. Just how much sacrifice is necessary for some fish we are not allowed to catch and have for Father”s Day dinner?”
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“Pray for rain.”