Guest Opinion | Tim Brick: Don’t Stop Conserving Now

The Pasadena City Council did the right thing the other night by rejecting a staff plan to go back to “normal” after the recent rains, allowing more landscape irrigation and revoking the 15% voluntary water reduction plea.

The staff plan’s narrow focus on watering lawns one day a week or two demeans the urgency of the water crisis. One wonderful, rainy season doesn’t make up for 100 years of over pumping the local groundwater basin or for the grim forecasts of future water scarcity.

Conservation needs to be a way of life, and Pasadena needs to take bold steps to reduce consumption, replenish the Raymond Basin, and take on the challenges of dwindling supplies and climate change.

Landscape Transformation – The most effective way to reduce consumption is to promote a movement for nature-based landscaping using native plants that require minimal water, are spectacularly beautiful, and enhance biodiversity.

UnPave Pasadena – Pasadena should incentivize the reduction and elimination of paved areas and the use of rainwater harvesting and stormwater best management practices (stream restoration, on-site retention, bioswales, etc.) to help replenish the dwindling Raymond Groundwater Basin.

Recycling and Greywater – It’s time to get real about recycling and greywater and to reduce the use of potable water for landscape irrigation.

Rate Reform – Water rates should be restructured to be based on conservation principles and water budgets so that excessive users will pay their true share.

Public Engagement – Pasadena should establish a long-term community education and involvement campaign that avoids mixed messages and unapologetically promotes the conservation mandate.

Hahamongna Native Plant Nursery, which the Arroyo Seco Foundation (ASF) operates in Hahamongna Watershed Park, is a tremendous resource for promoting conservation-based landscaping, habitat restoration, and public education.

You won’t have to water your lawn at all with a beautiful native plant garden.

The Arroyo Seco Foundation is hopeful about the new leadership at Pasadena Water & Power. We would like to partner with PWP and other community organizations to meet the long-term water challenge now and for future generations.

Please let me know if you would like to get involved by sending a message to tim@arroyoseco.org.

Tim Brick is the Executive Director of the Arroyo Seco Foundation and a former Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.