Where I swim Masters.

“What are you doing with your lawn?” a friend asked after we swam Masters at the local 50-meter pool.

“Are they comparing our 25% cuts from last month? Or last year? When are we supposed to start?” I asked.

Neither of us had any answers.

We have been told that we’ve failed our first month in conserving water. We only cut back 4%. I’m not saying me specifically, but the big WE as in Californians. Read more about that here.

The governor asked us to cut back our personal use of water by 25%. 

There’s a lot of confusion about what is being mandated or merely asked to do. Numbers fly around like $500 daily fines if your sprinklers are wasting water running down the street. I’ve even heard of $10,000 fines for people washing cars or watering lawns more than three days a week.

Olive on the still green lawn.

Then we read in the news that the local water agencies are discussing the conservation efforts and will have a vote in a week or two. So, why would anyone cut back today? Say, you stop watering your lawn, flushing your toilet, etc. and then the government tells you that you need to cut back by 25% — after you already have. What do you do then? I think the prospect of paying big bucks in fines has stymied a lot of folks into waiting until there is an official word.

Personally, we have cut back. We have less people in our house. Our two swimmers are both in college. They would shower at least twice a day. Once for school and then again after practice to remove their chlorine aroma. Plus, I honestly don’t know a person alive that takes longer showers than my son. Add to that endless loads of towels and constant dishes. Our water use has to be much less than last year.

Olive cat debating a dip in the pool.

I’ve done a few things to save water. I’ve made sure our sprinklers don’t leave a puddle by the curb. I capture run off shower water and save it for my potted plants and flowers. I can do more. But until I find out when and what is expected and when we’re being measured, my lawn will be green and my tomatoes will thrive.

One of more than 125 golf courses in my area. The LA Times says, “Southern California golf courses use more water than the rest of California … enough water to fill about 56,000 Olympic-sized pools each year.”