No water problem — it's a no-water problem

The implications of California's mega-drought seem to finally be setting in.

A study released Wednesday (June 3) by the Public Policy Institute of California indicates more than twice as many residents (36 percent in San Diego) see the drought as the biggest problem facing the state as compared to the regional jobs outlook, the second-highest worry mentioned in a 1706-person survey.

The numbers flipped from a year ago, when a third of respondents said the economy was their biggest worry, as compared to only 12 percent who mentioned the lack of rainfall.

San Diegans are more critical of their neighbors when it comes to conservation as compared to the rest of the state. Just 29 percent of local respondents said regional residents are doing enough to conserve water, as compared to 65 percent who say their communities aren't doing enough to cope with water shortages.

The issue is likely to remain a contentious one, particularly as large and controversial developments such as One Paseo in Carmel Valley aim to add residents to an area whose finite water supply continues to shrink.