Water Awareness Signs Reflect Current Status

The familiar water droplet signs placed around La Crescenta and La Cañada remained green and optimistic through the summer heat — until the start of this week, when passers-by noticed that the signs looked a bit... yellow. The signs now indicated that the water conservation status for the Foothill region was "HIGH."

The change was not as surprising as it was puzzling. Last winter was the driest in Southern California since the 1880s with just 3.21 inches of rain. And with temperatures in the region reaching triple digits, people were expecting to be asked to conserve more water. But why had it taken so long for the sign to reflect the suffocating heat?

"We always encourage people to conserve water," said Bob Fan, General Manager of the Valley Water Company. "Just because the signs are green, it doesn't mean that people should use water freely."

The water used in La Crescenta comes from the Verdugo Basin, local groundwater that supplies approximately 60 percent of the Crescenta Valley Water District's (CVWD) customers; however, the majority of the water used in La Cañada is imported from the Colorado River and other State sources through Foothill Municipal Water.

"Some producers have groundwater wells, but most of the water is imported," explained Fan.

Customers are being asked to limit outdoor water use such as watering lawns, filling swimming pools and washing cars. Shortening showers by at least five minutes also helps. But fear not, we will not be asked for extreme water conservation as of yet.

"Unless the Metropolitan Water District and other agencies limit our water sources, I can not see the signs changing to red," commented Ron Mitchell of CVWD.

Unless the summer temperatures continue to rise, the Foothill water conservation situation is predicted to remains stable.