Robin Olivier: Why are Merced’s lawns still so green?

I visited Merced last Friday and was shocked to see that every resident, including those in the cemeteries, have green lawns. I was born in Merced and graduated from Merced High in 1961. My parents continued to live in Merced until their deaths. I moved to the Bay Area for college and have lived here ever since. Since the drought has become so serious, I have been concerned about the farmers in the Valley I grew up in.

Statistics would show that most of us in the Bay Area have taken the drought very seriously and have reduced our water consumption significantly. Lawns began going yellow last spring and few have green lawns now. Obviously, the people of Merced have not been encouraged to look beyond their own yards. I noted that water meters may be coming – I’d say it’s about 5 years too late.

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 12:54 PM with the headline "Robin Olivier: Why are Merced’s lawns still so green?."