California Water Restrictions

[NW-Bound]

In 42 years of home ownership, I only now pay attention to our water usage.

Just pulled out the past bills that my wife keeps in a folder. Our lowest water usage was of course in the winter, when the watering of the plants was minimal. We used 5200 gal/month.

By the way, the plants here need watering year round. You just water them less in the winter.

Some of the water is also for daily refill of the pool due to evaporation.

Water usage like 12,000 gallons for a month equates to 200 gallons per person, per day. Not excessive if it's in a dry state like California. I think it rained twice this rain season; October when we got over 6" of rain in one day, and again in January sometime. Otherwise, it was 1/2" here, 1/2" there. Nothing that would be considered enough to water landscaping. Our water comes from the snow pack and run-off into reservoirs. Not from local rainfall. So all landscaping requires all irrigation all the time in most of California and the West for that matter...

You've got some rains? Lucky you. We have not had a drop in who knows how long.

 

[aja8888]

In 42 years of home ownership, I only now pay attention to our water usage.

Just pulled out the past bills that my wife keeps in a folder. Our lowest water usage was of course in the winter, when the watering of the plants was minimal. We used 5200 gal/month.

By the way, the plants here need watering year round. You just water them less in the winter.

Some of the water is also for daily refill of the pool due to evaporation.

Ah, the pool! That's a big evaporation pit. That explains the high use number.

 

[street]

Water is kind of expense here and we have a natural resource and plenty of water. We pay 28$ for 3000 ga. 1¢ for every 100 gal after 3000. We don't use 3000-gal min from the city a month. I do use about 10000 gal from my shallow well and costs less than 3$ of electricity a month to run that pump for 24 hours a month. I never run that pump 24 hours a month thou and I only use the shallow well 5 months a year.

 

[NW-Bound]

Ah, the pool! That's a big evaporation pit. That explains the high use number.

Yes, my pool is larger than the average.

It's a pit where I dump in water and chlorine.

 

[Koolau]

Yes, my pool is larger than the average.

It's a pit where I dump in water and chlorine.

Heh, heh, you forgot the secret ingredient. Money!

 

[NW-Bound]

Heh, heh, you forgot the secret ingredient. Money!

Well, the money is not so bad that I cannot afford it.

I just feel guilty of wasting water here in the desert.

But as I said, I would be willing to run a personal desalination plant if I could get some seawater. It would give me something else to spend time on, plus an excuse for more solar panels.

 

[explanade]

CA is not the only state where the water situation is dire.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1534976953777725440

Great Salt Lake is losing water and may be releasing Arsenic into the air if evaporation continues.

 

[Pellice]

CA is not the only state where the water situation is dire.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1534976953777725440

Great Salt Lake is losing water and may be releasing Arsenic into the air if evaporation continues.

I read that article in the New York Times also. One fact in it was that household water rates in Salt Lake City are still lower than those in many other metropolitan areas.

Of major U.S. cities, Salt Lake has among the lowest per-gallon water rates, according to a 2017 federal report. It also consumes more water for residential use than other desert cities — 96 gallons per person per day last year, compared with 78 in Tucson and 77 in Los Angeles.

 

[ERD50]

In 42 years of home ownership, I only now pay attention to our water usage.

Just pulled out the past bills that my wife keeps in a folder. Our lowest water usage was of course in the winter, when the watering of the plants was minimal. We used 5200 gal/month.

By the way, the plants here need watering year round. You just water them less in the winter.

Some of the water is also for daily refill of the pool due to evaporation.

You've got some rains? Lucky you. We have not had a drop in who knows how long.

edit again, I think I quoted the wrong post:

Out of the total of $120.45 only $26.82 is for water usage, and it's for 12,000 gallons last month. The rest of the bill is for sewer, garbage collection, and various environmental things.

My bill is slightly higher than that for only 3,000 gallons.

Well, I've avoided posting to this thread. I'm gonna sound like the Four Yorkshire-men skit - "loooxury!"

The area we moved to is supplied with Lake Michigan water, which is far better than being on the wells around here, very hard and you need a good water softener. The downside is, we pay through the nose (and maybe several other orifices) for the privilege (though much of the bill is sewer charges, not sure why that seems so high).

So here we go - we used ~ 3,500 gallons last month, a bit more than usual. Our bill, for one month.... $155.98 yikes!

Only $12.56 for water usage, but I'm not sure how much that factors into other charges, I've looked some are a %, others are brackets. But previous month was 3,000 G and $6 less, so about 1 penny per gallon marginal based on those numbers.

And that doesn't even include garbage pick ( which is ~ $23/month, but includes a yard waste bin, no extra charge).

For the pool, what about those floating balls to block the sun and limit evaporation. From my perspective, that's a crazy amount of water to use for someone who feels guilty of wasting water here in the desert.

So now when I hear about people in the West thinking they should get water from our Great Lakes, I'm saying "no way", you aren't going to deplete my water supply and raise my rates, just to have it evaporate out of your pool, or to try to grow plants in a desert (that's what cactus are for! ).

So if water conservation is important, these billing methods need to change. Look at what you've done to conserve electricity, because of the rates. You would do that if water was priced like that.

edit/add: Hey, isn't water vapor a strong global warming element? So is pool evaporation contributing to global warming? I read (I can dig up the ref link later), that pumping well water is responsible for ~ 40% of the sea level rise. Hard to believe, but this was a reputable study.

-ERD50

 

[NW-Bound]

Eh, I have been a resident of the state for almost 50 years. I blame the newcomers who caused the shortage.

Let's tax them, or better yet turn off their water to scare them off.

Oh, turn off their electricity too.

 

[Koolau]

Well, I've avoided posting to this thread. I'm gonna sound like the Four Yorkshire-men skit - "loooxury!"

The area we moved to is supplied with Lake Michigan water, which is far better than being on the wells around here, very hard and you need a good water softener. The downside is, we pay through the nose (and maybe several other orifices) for the privilege (though much of the bill is sewer charges, not sure why that seems so high).

So here we go - we used ~ 3,500 gallons last month, a bit more than usual. Our bill, for one month.... $155.98 yikes!

Only $12.56 for water usage, but I'm not sure how much that factors into other charges, I've looked some are a %, others are brackets. But previous month was 3,000 G and $6 less, so about 1 penny per gallon marginal based on those numbers.

And that doesn't even include garbage pick ( which is ~ $23/month, but includes a yard waste bin, no extra charge).

For the pool, what about those floating balls to block the sun and limit evaporation. From my perspective, that's a crazy amount of water to use for someone who feels guilty of wasting water here in the desert.

So now when I hear about people in the West thinking they should get water from our Great Lakes, I'm saying "no way", you aren't going to deplete my water supply and raise my rates, just to have it evaporate out of your pool, or to try to grow plants in a desert (that's what cactus are for! ).

So if water conservation is important, these billing methods need to change. Look at what you've done to conserve electricity, because of the rates. You would do that if water was priced like that.

edit/add: Hey, isn't water vapor a strong global warming element? So is pool evaporation contributing to global warming? I read (I can dig up the ref link later), that pumping well water is responsible for ~ 40% of the sea level rise. Hard to believe, but this was a reputable study.

-ERD50

No, no, no, no, no, no. It's ALL FFs causing global (this-week's-malady).

But seriously, it makes sense that dumping more sequestered water into the ocean has to have an effect. Ground subsidence has become a real issue, so why not sea level rise due to pumping.

I think the powers that be have cooked their own goose by "sneaking" in all these charges into water bills. In doing so, they've given us huge bills that actually have nothing to do with our water usage and no way to cut the outrageous bills. Where I'm squatting right now in the midwest, saving water was the only way to cut sewer bills! Water was cheap, but sewer was expensive - and based on water usage. Since we all have lawns we don't want to die, there was a special dispensation in summer to cover the extra water usage that just evaporated from lawns instead of going down the drain.

All in all, it's not the best way to conserve water but what do I know? I just w*rk, er, I mean live here. YMMV

 

[NW-Bound]

...Since we all have lawns we don't want to die, there was a special dispensation in summer to cover the extra water usage that just evaporated from lawns instead of going down the drain...

I have not had a stinkin' lawn since my children grew old enough to stop using the swing set in the backyard. I don't know how my pool water usage compares to a lawn of the same area.

Anyway, this city bases the sewer fee on our water usage in the winter. This is logically the time of lowest usage for watering and pool refilling. They warn us to avoid this period if we want to empty the pool for maintenance, and to do this in spring. It is also permissible to apply for an adjustment after the fact.

 

[NW-Bound]

The area we moved to is supplied with Lake Michigan water, which is far better than being on the wells around here, very hard and you need a good water softener. The downside is, we pay through the nose (and maybe several other orifices) for the privilege (though much of the bill is sewer charges, not sure why that seems so high).

Maybe the higher cost of sewage is due to the trouble it takes to keep effluent out of that pristine lake water?

 

[ERD50]

Maybe the higher cost of sewage is due to the trouble it takes to keep effluent out of that pristine lake water?

No, years ago (1900), they reversed the flow of the Chicago river, to divert the flow of sewage that was going into Lake Michigan, and to send the effluent downstream to our oh-so-lucky neighbors to the south. Problem solved! I doubt they'd get away with that today!

https://www.iiseagrant.org/chicagow...ge and other,to the Mississippi River instead.

Although, I'm not too far from the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, which is where the Chicago River was connected to get it down to the Mississippi river. It isn't noticeable stinky or anything. Though I suppose in these times, the sewage is treated thoroughly beforehand.

Chicago also had the "Deep Tunnel" project, a huge reservoir to capture storm water during flash floods so it would not overwhelm the treatment plants, and they could empty it at a slower pace later. I'd have to research that to see how far along that has come, and how effective it is/will be.

-ERD50

 

[aja8888]

I just got my water bill for May/June and we used a shade over 3,000 gallons. Minimal yard sprinkler use in May but it will increase in June. We don't have a pool and it's DW and I plus the furry one.

Billing is $31.00 for the month based on 3K water use and 2K sewer discharge.

This is Texas...we have the water (for now, anyway)!

Here's a note on my bill:

You used about 15% less water during the most recent twelve-month period compared to the prior twelve-month period.

I'm not sure how we did the above. Maybe through less sprinkle system use over the year.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

EDIT: ERD beat me to it!

Maybe the higher cost of sewage is due to the trouble it takes to keep effluent out of that pristine lake water?

I could be wrong about where ERD50 lives, but I am guessing that he lives in that rare area that gets water from Lake Michigan, but does not return it there.

 

[Ronstar]

^ that map is ever changing. Lake Michigan water is now piped to communities roughly 50 miles southwest and west of the lake.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

^ that map is ever changing. Lake Michigan water is now piped to communities roughly 50 miles southwest and west of the lake.

I think the map principally shows natural hydrological divisions. They are not changing on relevant timescales.

For the piping, do you mean in the Chicago area? That is the exception that I (and ERD) noted, and is kinda-sorta noted on that map.

If you mean Waukesha, they are required to return the effluent to the basin, as will any future diversions.

 

[Ronstar]

I think the map principally shows natural hydrological divisions. They are not changing on relevant timescales.

For the piping, do you mean in the Chicago area? That is the exception that I (and ERD) noted, and is kinda-sorta noted on that map.

If you mean Waukesha, they are required to return the effluent to the basin, as will any future diversions.

Joliet, Channahon and Minooka southwest of Chicago are in the process of getting water piped from Lake Michigan. Effluent from all 3 communities eventually goes to the DesPlaines River and flows south.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Joliet, Channahon and Minooka southwest of Chicago are in the process of getting water piped from Lake Michigan. Effluent from all 3 communities eventually goes to the DesPlaines River and flows south.

That is under the exception for Illinois that I was referring to. It is codified in Federal law and was upheld in Supreme Court decisions: https://nsglc.olemiss.edu/Advisory/pdfs/il-water-law.pdf

 

[JoeWras]

Ya'll talking about reclaimed water reminded me of the mix-up in Cary, NC, where they swapped the reclaimed and regular water supplies on some houses. Source: https://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1659797/

I remember an interview with one of the households. They said, "The water tasted funny, but we didn't think anything of it."

 

[JoeWras]

No, years ago (1900), they reversed the flow of the Chicago river, to divert the flow of sewage that was going into Lake Michigan, and to send the effluent downstream to our oh-so-lucky neighbors to the south. Problem solved! I doubt they'd get away with that today!

https://www.iiseagrant.org/chicagowaterwalk/cww5_rtcr_crm_riverruns.html#:~:text=Chicago%20River%20Mouth,-Back%20to%20Chicago&text=When%20raw%20sewage%20and%20other,to%20the%20Mississippi%20River%20instead.

Although, I'm not too far from the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, which is where the Chicago River was connected to get it down to the Mississippi river. It isn't noticeable stinky or anything. Though I suppose in these times, the sewage is treated thoroughly beforehand.

Chicago also had the "Deep Tunnel" project, a huge reservoir to capture storm water during flash floods so it would not overwhelm the treatment plants, and they could empty it at a slower pace later. I'd have to research that to see how far along that has come, and how effective it is/will be.

-ERD50

It used to smell pretty bad back in the day, 50 years ago or so. Before deep tunnel, they were always bypassing treatment during storm events. If a flood was possible, they'd reverse the north canal and let it flow into the lake near Wilmette. Then we'd have "fecal grease ball" warnings for Lake Michigan swimmers. Disgusting.

We lived close to that north canal and the treatment plant north. The improvements over the years were massive. It went smelly and seeing detergent foam on the canal, to people canoeing.

 

[Ronstar]

^i remember surveying along the banks of the des plaines river in Joliet in the early 80’s. Everything that you can imagine being flushed was on the gravel bars along the shoreline.

Usually during periods of heavy rains. Some sanitary manholes would have overflow pipes several feet above the normal sanitary sewer pipes. It was typical for storm water to infiltrate the sanitary sewers , sometimes directly. The effluent would flow through the overflow pipes into streams during periods of heavy flows.

Measures have been taken over the past several decades to separate storm from sanitary water. The result is much cleaner rivers.

 

[NW-Bound]

Well, we don't have the same problem with effluent here. The water treatment plants here have ponds that let water soak right into the soil.

That's the desert for you.

 

[aja8888]

Well, we don't have the same problem with effluent here. The water treatment plants here have ponds that let water soak right into the soil.

That's the desert for you.

I'll bet the treatment plant still has to have to have a approved NPDES discharge permit with pollutant loading standards and discharge requirements.