The Water Cops

Question

Earth and Space Science Studies: Human Impacts on Earth's Systems

There's a new group of police officers patrolling the neighborhoods of Los Angeles, California. These "water cops" are on the lookout for careless gardeners—people who are not complying with the city's strict water conservation laws. As California struggles with an extended drought, the work of the water police is more important than ever.

total of 15 police officers are on water duty. Officials estimate that in Los Angeles, landscaping accounts for as much as 70 percent of household water bills. Therefore, officers prowl neighborhoods and respond to thousands of tips in their search for people who use sprinklers between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., clean driveways with water instead of a broom, or otherwise waste the precious commodity.

Water is precious everywhere, but particularly where there is a shortage, as in California. In June 2008, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a statewide drought. He cited two years of below-average rainfall, low snow-melt runoff, and shrinking reservoir levels.

Los Angeles is a particularly thirsty city because of its sprawling population. Early residents got their water from the Los Angeles River, which could not supply enough water to accommodate rapid population growth. The metropolis owes its existence to vast quantities of water piped in from the Colorado River and other sources. Conservation has always been important but is crucial during a drought.

Conservation efforts are nothing new in Los Angeles. In the early 1990s, city officials unveiled a program called "drought busters." When this voluntary conservation program yielded only a 4 percent drop in water use, officials realized they needed to get tougher.

In the summer of 2008, just after Governor Schwarzenegger declared the drought, officials placed restrictions on water use and imposed penalties on people who did not comply. Offenders can now be cited with warnings or hit with fines that start at $100 for homeowners. These fines automatically appear on water bills. Through enforcement of water laws, the water conservation team aims to inform people about the importance of saving water.

"They're in fact educators and ambassadors to the public," said H. David Nahai. He oversees the team of officers. The team's goal is to see a 10 percent drop in water use.

Getting people to comply with water conservation rules is still difficult in Los Angeles, where many residents feel it is important to have beautiful green lawns and flourishing gardens. Department of Water and Power officer Alonzo Ballengar has seen a general reluctance to conserve water. Ballengar says that some of the people he accuses of water waste turn out to be hired gardeners. Their employers insist that the lawn needs to be watered each day. Ballenger also encountered a case where a woman was draining and refilling her pool every three days for no apparent reason.

Sometimes, residents try to help enforce the law. In one case, a resident reported four of his water-wasting neighbors in regular order every week. In another case, a group of dedicated conservationists appointed themselves citizen busters and patrolled their own neighborhoods. They called the water police when they saw anything from broken sprinklers to mysterious puddles of water.

Ballengar says that no one is safe from scrutiny—not even Governor Schwarzenegger. On a recent afternoon, Ballengar drove past split rail fences and horse barns into the gates of the community where Schwarzenegger lives. Ballengar stopped for a moment in front of the governor's mansion. He peered through the iron gate, searching for any evidence of water waste in the garden.

"Nothing," he said, before driving on.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Question 8


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Based on the article, which is most likely to happen?

If the drought continues, Los Angeles residents will probably decide to water their yards heavily in the middle of the day.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will probably reverse all the water conservation laws that are currently in place.
If the drought continues, California residents will probably find alternate ways to landscape that do not require excessive use of water.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will probably ask officials to stop using water from the Colorado River.

Answer 1

Based on the article, the most likely outcome is:

If the drought continues, California residents will probably find alternate ways to landscape that do not require excessive use of water.

This conclusion is supported by the emphasis on water conservation and the efforts made by water cops to educate the public on the importance of saving water, as well as the challenges faced by residents who desire beautiful lawns. It suggests a shift towards more sustainable landscaping practices may be necessary if the drought persists.