Surprise Twist In The O.C.: Rich Californians Wasting Less Water

Orange County, one of the wealthiest sections of California, has historically been home to some of the least efficient water users in the state. But that may be turning around as a result of consumer outreach.

“Billboards and TV commercials, living room visits, guess-your-water-use booths, and awards for water stinginess — a wealthy swath of Orange County that once had one of the worst records for water conservation in drought-stricken California is turning things around, proving it's possible to get people to change their ways,” the Associated Press reported.

The Santa Margarita area, which serves 154,000 customers, is the second-largest water district in Orange County. It has been inching closer to its state-mandated goal of a 24 percent reduction in water consumption compared to 2013 levels.

Consumer outreach has been a key part of the strategy. The district issued a letter in May imploring customers to save every last drop, with a particular focus on cuts in outdoor watering.

“We have reached the point where virtually every drop, from every customer, will make a difference. We need everyone—our [homeowners’ associations], our residents and businesses—to participate. Here’s a fact: up to half of the water used in our district is for outdoor irrigation. If we join together and cut that amount in half, we will meet the 24-percent mandate,” the letter said.

But the district’s consumer outreach efforts went far beyond entreaties by mail. It tried strategies including “holding small meetings in people's homes, knocking on 2,000 doors, plastering the city with save-water billboards, conspicuously honoring its most frugal citizens, and rushing to get an innovative runoff recycling system up and running earlier than planned,” the AP reported.

Incentives are also a key part of the district’s programming.

“The agency offers rebates for ripping up grass and installing low-flow toilets, more efficient washing machines and drip irrigation systems, and it has put aside $30 million for capital improvements with the goal of increasing the use of recycled water to 30 percent from 17 percent,” the report said.

The results are meaningful in part because outreach is not always a successful method for bolstering water conservation. For instance,a council created by the Texas legislature noted the following limitations of public information strategies geared toward improving conservation: “Awareness must be supplemented with information and measurement; measurement alone cannot generate commitment without awareness; and quality information, even when available, is not effective if it is not being used as part of our planning processes.”

Wealthy California residents have not typically been known for prioritizing water conservation.

San Jose Mercury News reported last month: “Wealthy areas are using dramatically more water than lower-income areas. Whether it's East Palo Alto and Hillsborough, Beverly Hills and Compton, or Richmond and Orinda, a huge disparity in residential water use is posing a challenge for water agencies as they try to curb consumption and write rules that treat all customers fairly.”

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