Photo Credit: No credit needed
On August 5, 2008, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared a water emergency. The board unanimously approved a resolution to increase water conservation efforts within the county to significantly reduce overall water use. The resolution applied to residents and business owners as well as parks and recreation facilities.
This action was the result of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's proclamation of a statewide drought, which directed county leaders to immediately reduce water usage in hundreds of county-owned facilities. It also directed the Department of Public Works--in conjunction with the Departments of Internal Services, Parks and Recreation, and Regional Planning--to immediately submit recommendations to reduce water usage.
According to Los Angeles County Water Supervisor Don Knabe, “The water problem is not going away, and if we ignore it, it is just going to get worse.” Many of the commission’s initial recommendations applied most specifically to residential and business water customers, although some also applied to parks and recreation facilities. For instance, the suggestions included the following: