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| OHCC LIVING | OCTOBER 2024 | 11 California's Water Problem As you probably know, most of central and southern California is a desert. Californians have brought in many beautiful plants, trees, and tropical varieties, and many of our gardens and lawns rival the gorgeous state of Hawaii. However, most tropical plants (Agapanthus, Bird of Paradise, Palm trees, Angel's Trumpet, and others) are not native to our Mediterranean climate, which is characterized by varying rainfall experiences that lead to water challenges year- round. Therein lies a major part of our water problem, when we have to provide more water for these plants than is received from natural precipitation. Since California is the most populated state in the nation; with more people moving in daily, our water supply is stretched thin. The third contributor to our water problem is that many years we, in Southern California, tend to have drought conditions during which we only get approximately six inches of rain in a year's time. The northern most part of the state receives more rain, as does the state of Oregon. Because of the above reasons, Oceanside water is becoming more expensive. Cooperative conservation is what we all need to practice so that there is enough water for all Californians, whether used by residents, agriculture, or industry. Here are some "hacks" for water-saving that most of us can use: • While waiting for the water to come to your shower head, fill a bucket with the cold water. After the shower, you can get some good weight-lifting exercise by emptying your bucket on the plants in your yard. You can also make your bucket trip shorter by flushing your toilet with the excess water. • If your patio is cluttered with leaves, please don't hose it down. Sweeping your patio is another good exercise, or you can blow the leaves away. • Water your plants before 9 am or after 7 pm so that the water doesn't evaporate. Also, plants watered while the sun shines may get sunburned. Be aware that watering in the afternoon in the winter attracts mold, which is hard to get rid of. While walking in the evening, if you happen to see that a sprinkler has malfunctioned and is pouring water on the street, please call the Community Patrol at (760) 758-7111. Community Patrol will contact the proper maintenance people. Thanks for being a cooperative conservationist. Landscape Committee

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