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Transcript/Scriptv((Genia Dulot, for VOA News, Los Angeles)) alifornia Water Restrictions
HEADLINE: Drought Restricting Water Use in California
TEASER: Gardeners moving toward drought-resistant landscaping
PUBLISHED AT: 06/27/2022 at 9:56 pm
BYLINE: Genia Dulot
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Los Angeles
VIDEOGRAPHER: Genia Dulot
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: SKS, MPage
VIDEO SOURCE (S): All VOA
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 2:45
VID APPROVED BY: mia
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO))
[[The worsening drought across the Western United States has led to new restrictions on water use in Southern California. Genia Dulot reports from Los Angeles on how officials are enforcing new restrictions and how some gardeners are adapting.]]
((NARRATOR))
Lush, green lawns are a hallmark of many California neighborhoods. But years of drought has much of Los Angeles County limiting the watering of those lawns to just twice a week. Here, in the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, residents may only turn on their sprinklers once a week as the area has no local groundwater. Public affairs associate Riki Clark says the rationing is required because more than 70% of the district’s water is used outside.
((Riki Clark, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District))
“Any customers whose addresses end in an even number, their designated day to water is on Tuesdays. And all of our customers whose homes end in an odd number, or addresses, their designated day to water is on Thursdays. For each day they get eight minutes, per day, per station.”
((NARRATOR))
Water district staff enforce the rules by monitoring who is watering when. Violators first get warnings, then they pay penalties. If the infractions continue, their supply is reduced to one-gallon-a-minute. Water district customer service representative Cason Gilmer developed the flow restrictor.
((Cason Gilmer, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District))
“The kitchen sink won’t really notice the difference when the restrictor is in. Your shower might notice the difference. Your showers are typically two-and-a-half gallons a minute, so the shower’s a little less, but you can still shower. You can still cook. Appliances
might take longer to fill, so your washing machine or your toilets will take longer to fill, but they still work. Indoor living is manageable with this. Outdoor, this small hole will not give you enough flow to be able to kick on your irrigation system.”
((NARRATOR))
Some people are moving away from systematic outdoor watering. Sarah Lariviere bought her first house a year ago with a vision to remove the existing green lawn and create her own space full of wildflowers and native, drought-tolerant plants.
((Sarah Lariviere, Homeowner))
“I did an enormous amount of research on where I could find plants that would thrive in Los Angeles County without much water. I went to the Theodore Payne native plant foundation. They have a nursery, and they have classes. I took a class there to understand how to water native plants, and I just spent a lot of time looking at the native plants there.”
((NARRATOR))
Lariviere used a California turf replacement rebate to cover the cost of putting in her new drought-resistant garden. With no end in sight for watering restrictions here, some people who are determined to keep their green lawns are seeing them turn yellow.
((Genia Dulot, for VOA News, Los Angeles)
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Los Angeles
Embargo DateJune 28, 2022 21:17 EDT
Byline((Genia Dulot, for VOA News, Los Angeles))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
