A large majority of Californians are concerned about having a sufficient supply of water and are willing to do more to conserve, according to a new statewide survey released by the Save Our Water program. The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and the California Department of Water Resources recently launched the program to educate Californians about the state's water challenges and encourage greater water conservation.
A large majority of Californians are concerned about having a sufficient supply of water and are willing to do more to conserve, according to a new statewide survey released by the Save Our Water program.
The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and the California Department of Water Resources recently launched the program to educate Californians about the state's water challenges and encourage greater water conservation.
Conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates on behalf of ACWA, the survey showed that water ranks in the top three issues of concern to Californians, topped only by concerns about the economy and the state budget. Sixty-one percent of Californians labeled their concern about water supply as "very serious" -- a greater proportion than said the same for traffic, taxes, or population growth. The proportion calling the water issue "very serious" has gone up 10 points since 2007 and is mostly consistent throughout all regions of the state.
In response to their growing concern about the state's water supply, people also say they are willing to take steps to help save water. According to the survey, more than four in five Californians (85 percent) say they are willing to make significant changes in their household activities to reduce their water use by 20 percent -- the target called for by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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"State-elected leaders know that water is a major problem for this state, and now we know the people see that as well," said Timothy Quinn, ACWA's executive director. "The good news is that this research tells us that people not only recognize the problem but are personally willing to do something about it -- they just need to be educated on the steps they can take. This is where Save Our Water comes in.
"The research tells us that most Californians believe that they use more water inside rather than outside the home, when the exact opposite is true. Californians can save a significant amount of water simply by cutting down on watering their lawns and gardens."
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