I consider myself blessed that whenever I need water for many reasons, the refreshing commodity is still available to me and my household to meet our needs.
But as things are with the water condition of California, I could not help but ponder on how long I will be enjoying this basic comfort of life.
California’ Drought Monitor reports that “drought has covered nearly 99.8 percent of California “and has been classified as “severe on a five-level scale” which makes me wonder seriously how far worse the situation could go.
Drought conditions may have leveled off across California with close to 100 percent of the state still remaining in the third harshest category of dryness, according to the latest measurements. Nature has been kinder to us for the two weeks with the drought condition remaining the same stalling the march to the worse condition.
CCF Mexico Mission: The indigenous community in San Antonio Las Minas in Tecate, Mexico was the site of this year’s Vacation Bible School of the Cornerstone Christian Fellowship of Orange County whose 10-member team led by its Senior Pastor Joan Martinez, his wife Gigi and Youth Worker Orange Andres ministered to the spiritual needs of over 80 youth attendees. The Filipino American church has been bringing the Word of God to the Mexican mission field for last 6 years.
In the meantime, close to 82 percent of Californians continue to suffer “extreme drought where more than half of the State is under the driest exceptional drought category”.
Conserving whatever remains of the valuable commodity has generated various measures from government agencies that demand discipline and sacrifice from the citizens.
With alarming images emerging from California drought, cities across the State has started enforcing fines more vigorously for cases of “over-watering” and even attending a one-time classes, instead of paying fees, for non-compliance with directives.
With the most severe droughts on record, Governor Brown has declared a Drought State of Emergency and directed state officials “to take all necessary actions to prepare for water shortages”. The State has continued to lead the way to make sure California is able to cope with an unprecedented drought.
Candidate Young Kim Meets Fil-Ams: Young Kim’s run for the 59th Congressional District gets a boost from the Filipino-American at the Meet and Greet Event hosted by Linda Sarno and Cheody Fortunato at her La Palma residence last August 16. Kim (second from right), is shown with the officers of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County at the event where she expounded on her advocacies once elected.
Among the measures undertaken include and emergency regulation that prohibits the use of drinking water for outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes runoff; the use of a hose without a shut-off nozzle to dispense drinking water to wash a motor vehicle; the application of drinking water to driveways and sidewalks; and the use of drinking water in a fountain or other decorative water feature, except where the water is part of a re-circulating system.
The regulation also limits outdoor irrigation of ornamental landscape or turf with drinking water to no more than two days per week with violations of the prohibited actions meting a fine of up to $500 for each day the violation occurs.
Governor Brown has called on all Californians to reduce their water use by 20 percent and prevent water waste and “take all feasible steps to reduce water use, including curbing outdoor water use, during the drought crisis.”