Spouting off on water

Re “Mayor proposes limits on water use,” Feb. 10

Los Angeles is running out of water, and our mayor has established six phases of water restrictions. The most important restriction that he forgot is stopping the development of new housing. If we do not have sufficient water for the current population, how do we justify more housing and more people?

Before the approval of future housing developments, water supply studies should be done to ensure that we have ample supplies for the new residences being created.

Glen Kacena

Westchester

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The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power should do a public-awareness program about turning off automatic sprinklers during the rainy season. I am up early three mornings a week to go to my gym, and I see many apartment buildings’ sprinklers on when it is raining.

A reminder written in big letters on our DWP bills to turn off the sprinklers before, during and after a rainstorm could save the city many millions of gallons of precious water. With more rain coming to Los Angeles, much water could be saved over just the next few days. Turning off the sprinklers at city parks, golf courses and on roadside landscaping also could help us save water.

Jack McGrath

Valley Village

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Perhaps Los Angeles should use some of its portion of the stimulus package to build a desalination plant. It makes no sense for this region to keep going through this endless cycle of rationing every few years when we have the Pacific Ocean in our backyard. I’m sure cities all the way to Las Vegas would be interested in such a project.

Building and maintaining the facility would provide jobs. This would also aid and facilitate long-term population growth, something we are in great danger of having to restrain because of limitations in the water supply.

This is something we should have done 30 years ago. A forward-thinking mayor and city should be giving this type of project a closer look now.

Michael Solomon

Canoga Park