City of Redding water customers have saved over 399 million gallons of water, or a 36 percent reduction compared to last year, according to a press release from the City Manager’s Office. For the period from May 17–23, residents conserved more than 86 million gallons, a 38 percent reduction from last year. Officials say the cooler weather may have contributed to the reduction in usage, but continue to stress that as the temperatures go up, the need to conserve will also increase. Pamphlets explaining the importance of water conservation will be sent out in the next water bill.
California is experiencing the worst drought in its history, and the effects are being felt nationwide. Thus water issues have taken center stage in much of our reporting and the nation's.As the New York Times says, "Water has long been a precious resource in California, the subject of battles pitting farmer against city-dweller and northern communities against southern ones; books and movies have been made about its scarcity and plunder. Water is central to the state’s identity and economy, and a symbol of how wealth and ingenuity have tamed nature ..."As we continue through a fourth year of extreme drought conditions, you'll find all of our reporting on the related issues (and that of NPR and other member stations) in this centralized place.
