Paris: A Perfect Storm
Nov 23, 2009
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With all the fretting Los Angeles civic leaders and residents have about our city's water supply, we could take a look at Mulholland Drive, and then nine time zones away to see what's going on in Paris. Los Angeles has a dry climate--but on average the city receives about 15 inches of water a year--not enough to water everyone's lawns and support non-native palm trees, but plenty to justify the investment in better storm water trapping and storage infrastructure.
TreePeople, the Los Angeles non-profit working on increasing the number of trees in Los Angeles, is off to a great start. High above the city on Mulholland Drive, the organization opened its Center for Community Forestry, where its staff and volunteers demonstrate how trees, people, and technology can coexist for a greener and more sustainable future. Under the grounds is a 70 by 8 feet cistern, a 216,000 gallon underground tank that collects rainwater from rooftops and the parking lots. The Center collects enough water during the year so that it can meet all of its water supplies without tapping city supplies.
Now let's shift to Paris; Paris gets a little more rain than LA (25 inches per year), but the city was aware that far too much rain water was wasted and causing environmental damage. Recently, Paris officials opened an underground tunnel just over a mile long with he capacity to store 2.8 million square feet of water. Even if you don't understand French, you should watch the video giving a slick subterranean tour.So back to Los Angeles. As the state sorts out California's water future . . . with environmental, agriculture, and other countless interests screaming that they should have priority, certain we can take a look--literally--in our own backyard(s). TreePeople's cistern is certainly a start, and the city and county can do more through rebates, tax credits, or other incentives, to allow residents and businesses to collect their own rainwater. I say it all the time--it's absurd to use drinking water for landscaping and industrial use. But I doubt the city has the gumption to ask residents to pay for a revamped water infrastructure with pipes of grey water running all over the city.
Mayor Antonio and the LA County Board of Supervisors, take notice. Start taking the steps to make water conservation easier for your constituents.
