Gov. Jerry Brown applauded the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California today for its $450 million two-year conservation budget to provide rebates and incentives for Southland residents to remove water-guzzling turf and install low-water-use fixtures.
Speaking for about 20 minutes before the MWD Board of Directors meeting in downtown Los Angeles, Brown said the drought represents the first time in the state "that a natural phenomenon has risen to this height of concern."
As the land becomes increasingly dry and temperatures rise, Californians must face the threat of widespread soil and vegetation damage, along with "fires, disease and all sorts of things we don't ordinarily have to deal with," the governor said.
"This is the first time in human history that we're all in this together," Brown said, referring to the global impact of climate change.
"We have wreaked havoc on our natural resources," including "the water systems of this state," he said, adding that "there is no way back."
The MWD's conservation budget "is to be commended," Brown said, describing the expenditure as an "investment in our future."
The governor signed the state's first-ever mandatory water use restrictions in April, ordering 25 percent reductions in water use by February and calling for 50 million square feet of turf removal statewide.
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According to the MWD, in the three weeks following Brown's order, “cash for grass” applications increased above $10 million, with roughly 2,500 to 3,000 residential turf removal requests per week.
"This is a very unusual time in our state's history," Brown said.
The MWD covers the Southland, including Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego and the Inland Empire.
In April, the MWD board ordered a 15 percent cut in the amount of water it supplies to its 26 member agencies across Southern California. It was only the fourth time in the agency's history that it has taken such an action.
The amount of the cut to each city or agency is based on reliance on MWD supplies while also taking into consideration conservation actions already being implemented. Cities and agencies that use more than their MWD allocation would have to pay punitive costs ranging from $1,480 to $2,960 per acre-foot of water. An acre-foot is roughly the amount of water needed to serve two
households for a year. on the water in the west.
"This is a challenge for all the people of California," Brown said today. "We have no choice but to forge ahead and make the investment."
Brown discussed the drought further during a discussion at USC Tuesday night with Los Angeles Times CEO/Publisher Austin Beutner titled "The California Conversation: Water in the West."
