Shortage of Water

Since we have another shortage of water, many suggestions will be forthcoming about how to save water. Los Angeles has already made some which mostly are rather puny compared with the magnitude of the problem. Substantial savings could be made if automatic sprinklers did not operate when irrigation is not needed; that is the case during a good part of the rainy season. Since the average rainfall is about 15 inches per year, the automatic sprinklers based on the clock do not allow for the input of rain. The 15 inches is really lost.

And if one-fourth of all lawns and landscapes are irrigated this way in Los Angeles County, the loss would amount to the household water needs of about 1 million people.

ARTHUR WALLACE

Los Angeles