As drought drives prices higher, millions of Californians struggle to pay for water
California’s water crisis
By
Sarah Jacob-Aga /
May 31, 2015
California is in the midst of a drought, but it’s not a shortage of water. It’s a shortage of options for how to pay for water.
When asked if there is too much water in the state, the typical answer is no.
“All Californians are dealing with the same thing now—a situation that will require some creativity. That will require people to work together and find new ways to meet water needs,” said Ed Clark, president and CEO of the water division of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.
According to a recent report by the state Public Water Commission, of the nearly 2,300 water agencies in the state, only six are experiencing a water shortage. Another 17 are threatened by a shortage.
But while there are a few agencies dealing with a shortage, the state as a whole is on the decline—particularly in the amount of water it has. Its water allocations and flows have dropped more than 10 percent since 2002, the agency reported in its most recent annual report.
That means lower water allocations to more and more homes, businesses and fields.
A drought and a dwindling water supply are not the same thing, said Jim Shadoan, director of the California WaterFix, a statewide group that promotes conservation, conservation, conservation and conservation.
“A drought causes a shortage,” Shadoan said in an interview. “The problem is not that there is not enough water, but that, when the water is there, water is being wasted.”
A drought and a dwindling water supply are not the same thing, said Jim Shadoan, director of the California WaterFix, a statewide group that promotes conservation, conservation, conservation and conservation.
According to a recent report by the state Public Water Commission, of the nearly 2,300 water agencies in the state, only six are experiencing a water shortage. Another 17 are threatened by a shortage.
But while there are a few agencies dealing with a shortage, the state as a whole is on the decline—particularly in the amount
