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Some in California have to limit their daily water usage to 55 gallons. Here's what that means for everyday activities
CBS News ^ | December 8, 2021 | Carter Evans

Posted on 01/29/2022 4:26:24 PM PST by grundle

Extreme drought in California is forcing drastic measures on the 200,000 residents in Marin County. They have been told to cut their water usage to just 55 gallons a day.

A 10-minute shower uses about 25 gallons. A load of laundry uses 40 gallons of water. A single sprinkler head can spray out 15 gallons per minute.

The new restrictions mean no refilling swimming pools or fountains. Residents can't wash their car in their driveways, and outdoor irrigation is prohibited.

"It's frightening," Fairfax Mayor Stephanie Hellman said of the drought.

John Ware and his wife, Margaret, moved to Marin County because of the lush landscape.

"There's no irrigation until June," Ware said. "We got a third of an acre of mature trees and plants and flowers and I don't want to lose them."

The couple just installed two 1,000-gallon tanks to store rainwater.

Many homeowners are finding almost 80% of their drinking water goes to irrigation, laundry and toilets.

"That's just ridiculous that we're using — think about it — fresh water to flush toilets," said Paul Mann, who installs systems to capture and recycle water for outdoors. It comes with an app that sends an alert when residents use too much.

"Imagine if everyone did this," Mann said. "We would have true sustainability despite the crisis that we're in with climate."

The biggest water users in Marin County face fines of more than $500 on top of their regular bill. If there is no rain the next few months, the local reservoirs could be unusable by summer.


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KEYWORDS: california; water
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To: grundle

Always wondered why there aren’t a network of dual use pipelines that have the capacity to transfer large amounts of water from flood prone areas to more parched areas. When not transporting water use them for gas or oil. Needless to say even if practical such construction could never be done today. The environmentalists would stop it.


41 posted on 01/29/2022 5:06:59 PM PST by allendale
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To: grundle
California got hit with a ton of rain shortly after this story was published in December.

-PJ

42 posted on 01/29/2022 5:11:16 PM PST by Political Junkie Too ( * LAAP = Left-wing Activist Agitprop Press (formerly known as the MSM))
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To: grundle

now .. imagine if they hadn’t of welcomed in all those millions of illegals? imagine how much extra water they would have now?


43 posted on 01/29/2022 5:12:26 PM PST by TexasFreeper2009
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To: grundle

55 gallons seems like a lot for a days amount, unless you got kids.


44 posted on 01/29/2022 5:15:54 PM PST by Bayard
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To: grundle

when its brown flush it down, when its yellow yet it mellow


45 posted on 01/29/2022 5:16:38 PM PST by GotMojo ( )
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To: ClearCase_guy

The consequences are a fine which means the law is only applicable to the poor


46 posted on 01/29/2022 5:16:51 PM PST by varyouga
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To: politicket

As is obvious when you think about how much water comes out of the faucet to which the sprinkler is attached.


47 posted on 01/29/2022 5:22:03 PM PST by maro (MAGA!)
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To: CIB-173RDABN

There used to be an occasional effort to secure water from the mouth of the Columbia and pipe it down to LA. I recall one advocate saying that the widdle kiddies might not have water in their swimming pools if they didn’t get the water. Oregon’s usual response: “Cry me a river.”


48 posted on 01/29/2022 5:30:39 PM PST by gundog ( It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: grundle

My Wife and I combined use 55 gallons per day. Not a problem - we don’t water our lawn in Indiana.

We live outside the city and have Septic System. Our Water Softener cycles after 600 gallons usage so we have an accurate account of water used.


49 posted on 01/29/2022 5:31:13 PM PST by TNoldman (AN AMERICAN FOR A MUSLIM/BHO FREE AMERICA. (Owner of Stars and Bars Flags))
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To: DonaldC

Hahahahahaha


50 posted on 01/29/2022 5:32:20 PM PST by rlmorel (Nothing can foster principles of freedom more effectively than the imposition of tyranny.)
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To: grundle

My Wife and I combined use 55 gallons per day. Not a problem - we don’t water our lawn in Indiana.

We live outside the city and have Septic System. Our Water Softener cycles after 600 gallons usage so we have an accurate account of water used.


51 posted on 01/29/2022 5:32:33 PM PST by TNoldman (AN AMERICAN FOR A MUSLIM/BHO FREE AMERICA. (Owner of Stars and Bars Flags))
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To: grundle

My Wife and I combined use 55 gallons per day. Not a problem - we don’t water our lawn in Indiana.

We live outside the city and have Septic System. Our Water Softener cycles after 600 gallons usage so we have an accurate account of water used.


52 posted on 01/29/2022 5:32:42 PM PST by TNoldman (AN AMERICAN FOR A MUSLIM/BHO FREE AMERICA. (Owner of Stars and Bars Flags))
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To: Sacajaweau
10 minutes for a shower??


53 posted on 01/29/2022 5:34:28 PM PST by gundog ( It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: grundle

I thought they’re having a pretty wet winter and the water levels are recovering.


54 posted on 01/29/2022 5:35:15 PM PST by BikerJoe
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To: Kozy

And pooping on the street saves water


55 posted on 01/29/2022 5:37:10 PM PST by bigbob
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To: Bayard

We’ve been using 50 gallons per day per person for years for septic system design.


56 posted on 01/29/2022 5:40:59 PM PST by Sacajaweau ( )
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To: grundle

All you need to know about Californians having to choose between a shower and watering their yard is that 46.2% of them are registered democrats while 24.1% are registered Republicans.

It’s really as simple as that.


57 posted on 01/29/2022 5:41:31 PM PST by Cen-Tejas
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To: Luke21

I remember taking the Navy showers, and if you took too long, some guy might pound on your shower stall to remind you! Worst of all was being all soaped down in the shower, and having the General Quarters alarm sound right at that part of the Navy Shower you are covered with soap!

Hah, the utter panic as you instantly thrust your face under the water to get as much of the soap off as possible before they shut the water off!

Anyway, when I got out, I resolved to never take a Navy Shower again unless forced to by events.

By God, I was going to stand under a steaming hot shower for just as long as I damn well pleased, until my fingers pruned up...:)

When the Apocalypse comes, of all the niceties of civilized living I will miss the most, it will be the joy of turning a knob on the wall and have piping hot water come out, and as much as you are willing to pay the bill for for each month.


58 posted on 01/29/2022 5:41:47 PM PST by rlmorel (Nothing can foster principles of freedom more effectively than the imposition of tyranny.)
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To: Luke21

60 or so years ago the same thing happened in Marin. Got so bad a water pipe was run from Richmond across the R’San Rafael Bridge to them. Toilets were flushed only when absolutely necessary. It was very, very bad.


59 posted on 01/29/2022 5:52:24 PM PST by Bobibutu
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To: Sacajaweau

California should just declare the state to be ARRAKIS considering the amount of fentanyl on the street.


60 posted on 01/29/2022 6:03:14 PM PST by Bayard
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