News
Drought can hit almost anywhere: How 5 cities that nearly ran dry got water use under control
In 2024, the U.S. Northeast faced severe drought, prompting lessons on water management from cities like Cape Town and São Paulo. Proactive conservation and planning can mitigate future crises.
Sara Hughes, University of Michigan and Michael Wilson, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Water scarcity is often viewed as an issue for the arid American West, but the U.S. Northeast’s experience in 2024 shows how severe droughts can occur in just about any part of the country.
Cities in the Northeast experienced record-breaking drought conditions in the second half of 2024 after a hot, dry summer in many areas. Wildfires broke out in several states that rarely see them.
By December, much of the region was experiencing moderate to severe drought. Residents in New York City and Boston were asked to reduce their water use, while Philadelphia faced risk to its water supply due to saltwater coming up the Delaware River.
Before the drought, many people in the region weren’t prepared for water shortages or even paying much attention to their water use.
As global temperatures rise, cities throughout the U.S. are more likely to experience hotter, drier conditions like this. Those conditions increase evaporation, drying out vegetation and soil and lowering groundwater tables.
The Northeast drought was easing in much of the region in early 2025, but communities across the U.S. should take note of what happened. They can learn from the experiences of cities that have had to confront major water supply crises – such as Cape Town, South Africa; São Paulo, Brazil; Melbourne, Australia; Las Vegas; and New Orleans – and start planning now to avoid the worst impacts of future droughts.
Lessons from cities that have seen the worst
Our new analysis of these five cities’ experiences provides lessons on how to avoid a water supply crisis or minimize the effects through proactive policies and planning.
Many cities have had to confront major water supply crises in recent years. Perhaps the most well-known example is Cape Town’s “Day Zero.”
After three years of persistent drought in the region, Cape Town officials in fall 2017 began a countdown to Day Zero – the point at which water supplies would likely run so low that water would be turned off in neighborhoods and residents would need to fetch a daily allocation of water at public distribution points. Initially it was forecast to occur in April 2018.
Water rates were raised, and some households installed flow restrictors, which would automatically limit the amount of water that could be used. Public awareness and conservation efforts cut water consumption in half, allowing the city to push back its estimate for when Day Zero would arrive. And when the rains finally came in summer 2018, Day Zero was canceled.
A second example is São Paulo, which similarly experienced a severe drought between 2013 and 2015. The city’s reservoirs were reduced to just 5% of their capacity, and the water utility reduced the pressure in the water system to limit water use by residents.
Water pricing adjustments were used to penalize high water users and reward water conservation, and a citywide campaign sought to increase awareness and encourage conservation. As in Cape Town, the crisis ended with heavy rains in 2016. Significant investments have since been made in upgrading the city’s water distribution infrastructure, preventing leaks and bringing water to the city from other river basins.
Planning ahead can reduce the harm
The experiences of Cape Town and São Paulo – and the other cities in our study – show how water supply crises can affect communities.
When major changes are made to reduce water consumption, they can affect people’s daily lives and pocketbooks. Rapidly designed conservation efforts can have harmful effects on poor and vulnerable communities that may have fewer alternatives in the event of restrictions or shutoffs or lack the ability to pay higher prices for water, forcing tough choices for households between water and other necessities.
Planning ahead allows for more thoughtful policy design.
For example, Las Vegas has been grappling with drought conditions for the past two decades. During that time, the region implemented water-conservation policies that focus on incentivizing and even requiring reduced water consumption.
Since 2023, the Las Vegas Valley Water District has implemented water rates that encourage conservation and can vary with the availability of water supplies during droughts. In its first year alone, the policy saved 3 billion gallons of water and generated US$31 million in fees that can be used by programs to detect and repair leaks, among other conservation efforts. A state law now requires businesses and homeowner associations in the Las Vegas Valley to remove their decorative grass by the end of 2026.
Since 2002, per capita water use in Las Vegas has dropped by an impressive 58%.
Solutions and strategies for the future
Most of the cities we studied incorporated a variety of approaches to building water security and drought-proofing their community – from publishing real-time dashboards showing water use and availability in Cape Town to investing in desalination in Melbourne.
But we found the most important changes came from community members committing to and supporting efforts to conserve water and invest in water security, such as reducing lawn watering.
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There are also longer-term actions that can help drought-proof a community, such as fixing or replacing water- and energy-intensive fixtures and structures. This includes upgrading home appliances, such as showers, dishwashers and toilets, to be more water efficient and investing in native and drought-tolerant landscaping.
Prioritizing green infrastructure, such as retention ponds and bioswales, that help absorb rain when it does fall and investing in water recycling can also diversify water supplies.
Taking these steps now, ahead of the next drought, can prepare cities and lessen the pain.
Sara Hughes, Adjunct Professor of Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan and Michael Wilson, Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Daily News
Major Construction Begins on Metro’s East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Line
LA Metro has moved the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project into major construction. The 6.7-mile Van Nuys Boulevard line will add 11 stations, connect with the G Line and regional rail services, and is now targeted for completion in early 2032.
After years of utility relocation and planning, LA Metro is moving into major construction on a new rail line along Van Nuys Boulevard. The milestone also comes with a revised early-2032 completion target.
LA Metro has officially marked the beginning of major construction on the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project, moving one of the region’s most important rail projects from preparatory work into full-scale construction.
Metro held a groundbreaking ceremony on October 19, 2026, for the 6.7-mile line, which will run along Van Nuys Boulevard from the G Line busway north to San Fernando Road in Pacoima. The project will add 11 light-rail stations serving Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta and Pacoima.
This was not the project’s first groundbreaking. Metro held an earlier ceremony in December 2022 when crews began relocating utility infrastructure. The new milestone is more consequential for riders: the major-construction phase covers the guideway, stations, traction-power substations, rail systems and a maintenance and storage facility.
From utility work to a new rail corridor
The project has spent several years in utility relocation, property acquisition, design and other early work. Metro’s current construction timeline shows major work continuing from 2026 through 2032, with phased traffic changes and K-rail installations expected along Van Nuys Boulevard.
When completed, trains are expected to operate every seven to 10 minutes during peak periods. The line will connect directly with the G Line and provide access to the Van Nuys Metrolink and Amtrak station. It is also expected to become an important transfer point for the future Sepulveda Transit Corridor and a planned Metrolink station in Pacoima.
The corridor already has a substantial transit market. Metro reported that bus Lines 233 and 761, which serve Van Nuys Boulevard, recorded nearly 20,000 boardings in September 2026. The agency also says approximately 19 percent of households in the project area lack access to a car, compared with about 8 percent countywide.
Those figures help explain why this project matters beyond its construction footprint. It is intended to give residents in some of the Valley’s most transit-dependent communities more reliable access to jobs, schools, healthcare and the wider regional transit network.
The opening target has moved to 2032
Metro’s current project page lists an estimated completion date of early 2032. That is later than the 2031 opening forecast the agency publicized when it celebrated an $893-million federal grant in September 2024. Earlier plans were more optimistic still: when utility work began in 2022, Metro said the first segment could open between 2028 and 2030.
The project’s financial scale has also grown clearer. In May 2026, the Metro Board established a life-of-project budget of approximately $3.999 billion and authorized the next phase of its progressive design-build contract with San Fernando Transit Constructors, a joint venture of Skanska and Stacy and Witbeck.
That authorization increased the construction contract’s value to roughly $2.431 billion. Funding for the larger project combines federal, state and local sources, including revenue from Los Angeles County’s Measure M transportation sales tax.
Rail returns to Van Nuys Boulevard
The East San Fernando Valley line will restore passenger rail to Van Nuys Boulevard for the first time since Pacific Electric ended streetcar service there in 1952. It will also become the first major new Metro rail project in the San Fernando Valley since the subway reached North Hollywood in 2000.
The historical parallel is significant. Van Nuys Boulevard once developed around electric railway service before the region shifted heavily toward automobiles and buses. Metro is now rebuilding rail in the same broad corridor, but as part of a modern network designed to connect local riders with bus rapid transit, regional rail and future high-capacity projects.
The current project ends in Pacoima. Metro continues to study a separate 2.5-mile northern extension that would reach the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station. That extension is not included in the segment now entering major construction.
For riders, the October groundbreaking does not mean trains are imminent. Several years of disruptive and technically complex work remain, and the schedule has already moved beyond earlier forecasts. Still, it represents a tangible transition: the East San Fernando Valley line is no longer primarily a planning exercise or utility-relocation program. Metro has begun building the infrastructure that will carry trains.
That makes this a major step in Los Angeles County’s long effort to restore frequent rail transit to communities that lost it generations ago—and another chapter in The Long Track Back.
Primary sources
- LA Metro: Major construction will soon be underway
- LA Metro project page: East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit
- LA Metro Board meeting, May 28, 2026 — project budget and contract authorization
- LA Metro: $893 million federal grant announcement, September 6, 2024
- LA Metro: Advanced utility-work groundbreaking, December 2, 2022
This article is part of The Long Track Back, STM Daily News’ continuing coverage of how Los Angeles is rebuilding and expanding a passenger-rail network after decades of automobile-centered grow
For generations, the Santa Monica Pier sign has marked the start of a day at the beach. Now, the familiar blue neon landmark is preparing for a journey of its own.
Santa Monica scheduled removal of the 1941 sign for October 20–22, with shipment to Las Vegas anticipated October 26. The timetable is subject to change, according to the city’s October 19 announcement.
The temporary removal accompanies replacement of the aging bridge connecting Ocean Avenue to the pier. It also creates an opportunity to preserve the historic sign.
YESCO will restore it at its Las Vegas facility. The company’s experience includes work on the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign.
Crews will repair neon tubing, treat rust, repaint components and address structural needs while retaining historic features. The sign will remain in secure storage during bridge construction.
Once the project is finished, it will return above the new bridge at a slightly greater height for visibility and vehicle clearance. The city’s latest announcement targets project completion by 2028, ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympics.
Meanwhile, visitors can photograph a lighted, half-scale replica near Pier Burger.
For anyone who associates that glowing arch with Southern California memories, its absence will be noticeable. The restoration is intended to ensure future generations can make memories beneath it, too.
Source: City of Santa Monica — October 19, 2026 announcement
Related Links
- City of Santa Monica: Official sign restoration announcement — October 19, 2026. Primary source for removal dates, shipment to Las Vegas, YESCO’s restoration work and the sign’s planned return.
- Santa Monica Daily Press: Sign restoration during bridge rebuild — October 20, 2026. Additional local reporting on the project and visitor access.
- LAist: Sign removal and how to watch — Reporting on the removal schedule and public viewing opportunities.
Follow more Southern California stories at STM Daily News.
Automotive
Slate Truck Gets Real: First Experience Center Opens Ahead of Planned Deliveries
Slate Auto’s first permanent Experience Center gives consumers an up-close look at its customizable electric truck ahead of planned customer deliveries.
Slate Auto’s new Chicago location gives prospective buyers a permanent place to see the minimalist electric pickup, explore customization options and learn about demo opportunities—but it is not yet proof that customer deliveries have begun.
CHICAGO — October 20, 2026 — The Slate Truck is moving out of computer renderings and temporary roadshow stops and into a permanent retail setting. Slate Auto opened its first Experience Center on October 15 at 1053 W. Grand Avenue in Chicago, giving consumers a year-round location to get an up-close look at the company’s highly anticipated electric pickup.
The Near West Side facility occupies a former Tesla location and includes showroom, retail and garage space, along with electric-vehicle charging infrastructure. For Slate, the opening represents an important step in turning strong online interest into a more tangible buying experience as the startup works toward launching its first vehicle.
Visitors can examine the truck’s compact dimensions, deliberately simple cabin and accessory-driven design in person. The center also showcases Slate’s personalization strategy, including exterior wraps, add-on accessories and digital design tools intended to let owners configure the truck around their needs.
Slate has also promoted demonstration opportunities connected with the location, although availability may be limited or appointment-based as the company continues to prepare its fleet. Early media access included passenger rides rather than unrestricted customer test drives, so prospective visitors should confirm current availability before making a special trip.
Why the Chicago opening matters
Until now, most consumers have encountered the Slate Truck through online reservations, media coverage or temporary appearances. A permanent showroom gives buyers a chance to judge details that are difficult to evaluate on a screen, including seating position, bed access, cabin materials and the overall size of the vehicle.
That is especially important for a product built around an unconventional value proposition. Slate is promoting a basic two-seat, two-door electric truck with manual crank windows and no factory-installed infotainment screen or stereo. The company’s strategy is to keep the starting price low and let buyers add features later through accessories and conversion kits.
The physical location also gives Slate a place to explain that approach directly. Rather than presenting the truck as an unfinished vehicle, the company can demonstrate how its modular accessories, wraps and planned SUV-style conversion components are meant to expand the vehicle’s usefulness over time.
Chicago is a logical first market for that effort. The city offers access to a large Midwestern customer base and is within the broader region of Slate’s planned manufacturing operation in Warsaw, Indiana. Reusing a former Tesla store also gives the startup a space already suited to displaying and servicing electric vehicles.
The roadshow continues beyond Chicago
The Experience Center is opening as Slate expands its public demonstration schedule. The company’s events calendar lists a Boston-area demo ride event from October 21 through October 25 at The Shops at Chestnut Hill, followed by an appearance at RADwood in Alameda, California, on October 24 and a New Jersey demo ride event in Freehold from October 28 through October 31.
Slate also lists future stops in Washington, D.C., Raleigh, Atlanta, Miami and Orlando. Together, the permanent Chicago center and the traveling events suggest the company is moving into a broader customer-education phase ahead of planned deliveries.
What has—and has not—changed
The showroom opening does not change Slate’s headline pricing or range claims. The truck is still advertised with a base price of $24,950 before taxes, registration and destination charges. With the currently listed $1,450 destination fee, the entry price would be approximately $26,400 before other costs or optional equipment.
Slate also continues to advertise an estimated range of up to 205 miles. That figure remains an estimate rather than a final EPA-certified rating.
Most importantly, Slate has not publicly confirmed that regular customer production has started or that the first retail deliveries have occurred. Limited deliveries have been reported as possible before the end of December 2026, while many reservation holders may receive later delivery windows in 2027. The Chicago opening is therefore a commercialization milestone, not a manufacturing milestone.
For customers and industry observers, the next major signals will be the start of production at the Warsaw factory, final specifications and EPA range ratings, and confirmed handoffs to paying buyers.
The bottom line
Slate Auto now has a permanent place where consumers can see and evaluate its unusually simple electric truck. That makes the product feel more real and gives the company a platform to explain a customization-heavy business model that may be unfamiliar to traditional truck buyers.
Still, the biggest questions remain unanswered. Opening a showroom demonstrates progress in marketing and customer engagement; producing vehicles at scale, holding the promised price and delivering a 205-mile truck to reservation holders will determine whether Slate can convert enthusiasm into a viable automotive business.
Sources and more information
- Slate Auto events and demo schedule
- Electrek: Slate opens its first Experience Center in Chicago
- Autoblog: Slate opens its first U.S. showroom
- Slate Auto
Category: Consumer Corner / Automotive
