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Wed 04 05 2022
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Water shortages threaten Los Angeles

by bernt & torsten

The water is draining in the southwestern United States. The great lake Mead has never had such low levels before, and now Los Angeles has introduced restrictions on water consumption.

The water is sinking in Lake Mead, the largest water reservoir in the United States on the border between Nevada and Arizona, which is now only filled to one-third of its capacity.

The artificial lake Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States and gets its water from the Colorado River. It was built after the construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s and supplies more than 25 million people, from Los Angeles to Phoenix, with water, but the water supply would have been threatened if it were not for a brand new pumping station.

Lake Mead reached its highest level in 1983 and was almost full by 2000. Since then, the water level has dropped by over 50 meters, and on Friday, it was at record low levels. The reservoir is now filled with less than a third of its capacity.

Without this third set of pipes, southern Nevada would have had to shut down. The new cranes, located lower than the previous ones in the reservoir, were built as pure safety if ever needed – a scenario that was seen as highly unbelievable. That was two years ago.

“Do not have enough water.”

Just a few miles away, authorities assure us that Water shortages do not acutely threaten las Vegas. This is partly due to previous campaigns to save water and the newly opened pumping station.

It is worse in Los Angeles, where large sections of the population get their water from Lake Mead.

Stop watering

They have now introduced their most rigid restrictions to date on water consumption. From June 1, six million people around Los Angeles will have to reduce their consumption by 35 percent, or 300 litres per person per day. And those who water their garden more than one day a week can count on heavy fines.

He says that the cuts in irrigation will probably be enough. It accounts for as much as 70 percent of households’ water consumption in the area. But Southern California Water Authority MWD asks residents to refrain from changing their pools’ water.

The area follows Oakland, which introduced restrictions on ten percent water consumption earlier in April.

Source: LA Times, AP

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