well done MV! Keep it up!

Our Monta Loma water is way too "soft", with a chlorine smell, and doesn't rinse out well. The cities that are still Hetch Hetchy have good tasting, clear water, especially Palo Alto and Santa Clara. We are getting brown water almost once a week for whatever reason, many times more than the last 40 years, which I see as a problem.

Why are the cities continuing to build high density housing when we do not have enough water to sustain a comfortable quality of life for the people who are already here?

Robyn: that's a darned good question. It's as if they think the drought is temporary. Even if it isn't permanent, it will still take years to replenish our reservoirs and other water-storage facilities.

My lawn is on a moisture meter, we've dialed it way back, (the grass is brownish, but alive) and the water only comes on in the wee hours of the morning. But we have no way to set the days of the week (kind of defeats the idea of the moisture meter.) so am I going to get a knock on the door from the water meter maids because it's the "wrong day of the week to water?".

Time to invest in a better meter. But anyway, why even water your lawn, brown is the new in. Let it go brown.

I see at the big company they are still using water on their exterior plants and water is running down into the streets. Every morning when i get to work.

I guess if you can afford it, you can continue to waste water.

In Australia they had a drought over the past decade. They developed new ways to irrigate turf that reduced the water need to 30% of the former amount with the aerial sprays. Fine drip irrigation is used beneath the turf, to keep it green without the traditional waste due to evaporation. Interestingly, the "water efficient" landscaping touted in California also most uses still 30% of the previous amount for turf. It's therefore a toss up.

But, consider this: Web Link

There are plenty of reasons why turf is superior to bark and landscape cloth blocking future percolation of rainwater into the aquifer.

To answer the "why all this housing" question,

First, high density homes use far less water per capita than single family homes. The problem is not showers and cooking. The problem is landscaping and irrigation.

Second, if we block high density homes here, those homes still get built. They just get built in Dublin or Stockton, where they come with lawns and use far more water.

Blocking housing here just means increasing growth in the semi arid Central Valley, and increasing overall water use.

What kind of article is this? From what source did most of the savings come? Residential? Business? City-owned properties? Seems half the real story is missing.

It's obviously referring to the total water imported for users of the city of Mountain View's water utility services.

A certain portion of Mountain View is served by CalWater. That is most likely not included in the total that was calculated at the state fraction of reduction.

This summer has been enlightening. I haven't had to run the sprinklers in my yard at all because of the recycled grey water I'm putting on it from the house. From my meter readings, I'm expecting to see a 30-40% reduction in my water usage next bill.

On top of that, I have enough water to re-use to keep my yard better looking now than it has looked in 5 years. Smart use and then re-use really goes a long way. My only concern is that someone thinks I'm using un-recycled water and gets all puffy about it. I may put up a sign to explain things to the busybodies.

All new homes or apartments should be mandated to plumb for recycled water usage.