When Brentwood residents opened their mailboxes to find an envelope from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, many were surprised to find not a bill but a personal letter.
“LADWP records show that you are in the top 1% of all residential water users,” the letter said. “I ask that you carefully look at your water habits and take steps to reduce your water consumption.”
In May, DWP began targeting top water consumers by sending letters to about 4,600 homes, the one-percenters of residential water users who use the most water.
And while the largest share of letters went to those in wealthy areas of the Westside, Brentwood came out on top as the zip code with the most letters from LADWP, the Los Angeles Times reported at the end of June.
Whether the letters are effective tools to reduce water consumption is unknown yet.
In the meantime, the Brentwood Beautiful team is hosting a series of workshops at the Brentwood Branch Library to talk about water-safe landscaping and water-saving tips.
Lili Singer, horticultural consultant, educator and garden writer (most recently for the Los Angeles Times) will discuss how to deal with the drought-restrictions on lawns this summer with her solution: taking it out.
As the Director of Special Projects and Adult Education at the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants, Singer is set to speak about alternatives for garden spaces, specifically low-case native plants that need no fertilizer and use a fraction of the water required for turf.
The longtime champion of “smart” gardening practices and appropriate plants for a Mediterranean climate, Singer will be at Brentwood’s disposal at the “Look, Ma, No Lawn!” event Saturday, July 25, at 11 am.
This event is provided free to the public.
To RSVP, call 310.476.7234 or email native.conservation@gmail.com.
The Brentwood Branch Library is located at 11820 San Vicente Blvd.
For more information call 310.575.8273 or visit lapl.org/branches/brentwood.
