Molly Peters

Photographer

Water Cops - Wall Street Journal

License

Clients: Bloomberg Businessweek, The Intercept, The Wall Street Journal, High Country News, HuffPost

School: Bard College Hartford Art School

Views of The Oaks gated communi...ons due to the ongoing drought.

Views of The Oaks gated community and surrounding hills on May 26, 2022. The Oaks is one of the most star-studded and affluent gated communities in California, but residents are not exempt from water restrictions due to the ongoing drought.

John Mueller, center, points ou...rt to reduce their water usage.

John Mueller, center, points out plants to Cason Gilmer, left, the Senior Field Customer Service Representative for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water Department, at his home in Calabasas, CA on May 26, 2022. Drought-friendly plants are encouraged as CA residents face mandatory water cutbacks due to the ongoing severe drought. John & Margaret Mueller converted their lawn with the help of a landscape architect to contain plants native to California in an effort to reduce their water usage.

Views of John & Margare...the ongoing California drought.

Views of John & Margaret Mueller’s yard in Calabasas, CA, on May 26, 2022, where they have planted native plants to help reduce water use and combat the ongoing California drought.

Cason Gilmer, the Senior Field ...rt to reduce their water usage.

Cason Gilmer, the Senior Field Customer Service Representative for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water Department, looks up John Mueller’s customer account at his home in Calabasas, CA on May 26, 2022. Drought-friendly plants are encouraged as CA residents face mandatory water cutbacks due to the ongoing severe drought. John & Margaret Mueller converted their lawn with the help of a landscape architect to contain plants native to California in an effort to reduce their water usage.

A home in the mid-Wilshire neig...ngoing drought on May 27, 2022.

A home in the mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA offers an example of drought-friendly lawn replacements as well as evidence that homeowners have cut back on watering their lawns in light of the ongoing drought on May 27, 2022.

Laurence D. Springer, a utility...as opposed to giving citations.

Laurence D. Springer, a utility services specialist and member of the Department of Water & Power's Water Conversation Response Unit, points out irrigation types and water runoff on his route in the mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA on May 27, 2022. His job is essential in light of increasingly strict restrictions due to the ongoing drought. Laurence emphasizes educating the homeowners about how they can save water, which will in turn lower their bill, as opposed to giving citations.

Residential homes in Westlake V... ongoing drought in California.

Residential homes in Westlake Village, CA, show a stark contrast between families choosing to continue watering their lawns and those choosing not to, seen on May 26, 2022. There are new restrictions on residential water use due to the ongoing drought in California.

A home in Agoura Hills, CA, see...ue to the severe drought in CA.

A home in Agoura Hills, CA, seen on May 26, 2022, is a good example of how homeowners are modifying their yards with drought-friendly plants to cut down on water usage due to the severe drought in CA.

Cason Gilmer, the Senior Field ...ons due to the ongoing drought.

Cason Gilmer, the Senior Field Customer Service Representative for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water Department, photographs an address for a future notice after viewing water runoff in front of a home in The Oaks Calabasas on May 26, 2022, which indicates water waste. The Oaks is one of the most star-studded and affluent gated communities in California, but residents are not exempt from water restrictions due to the ongoing drought.

Water runoff breeds algae in fr...ons due to the ongoing drought.

Water runoff breeds algae in front of a home in The Oaks Calabasas, which indicates excessive water consumption outside regulated times for irrigation. The algae is a telltale sign of a repeat offender, signifying the frequent presence of standing water in the drain. The Oaks is one of the most star-studded and affluent gated communities in California, but residents are not exempt from water restrictions due to the ongoing drought.

Cason Gilmer, the Senior Field Customer Service Representative for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water Department, leaves a notice on the door after viewing water runoff in front of a home in The Oaks Calabasas on May 26, 2022, which indicates water waste. The Oaks is one of the most star-studded and affluent gated communities in California, but residents are not exempt from water restrictions due to the ongoing drought.

Homes in the mid-Wilshire neigh...ered regularly on May 27, 2022.

Homes in the mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA offer a contrast between drought-friendly lawn replacements alongside lawns which are clearly still being watered regularly on May 27, 2022.

Laurence D. Springer, a utility...ns would be given if necessary.

Laurence D. Springer, a utility services specialist and member of the Department of Water & Power's Water Conversation Response Unit, on his route in the mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA on May 27, 2022. His job is essential in light of increasingly strict restrictions due to the ongoing drought. Laurence emphasizes educating the homeowners about how they can save water, which will in turn lower their bill, but said citations would be given if necessary.

A home in the mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA offers evidence that homeowners have cut back on watering their lawns in light of the ongoing drought on May 27, 2022.

The Las Virgenes Reservoir in W...squo;ll receive from the state.

The Las Virgenes Reservoir in Westlake Village, CA, is nearly full on May 26, 2022, but as soon as mandatory cuts begin in June due to the ongoing drought in California, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water Department will be forced to draw from the reservoir to make up for the deficit in water they’ll receive from the state.

The water processing plant at t...squo;ll receive from the state.

The water processing plant at the Las Virgenes Reservoir in Westlake Village, CA, on May 26, 2022. Now rebuilt, the plant was significantly damaged during the Woolsey Fire in 2018. The reservoir is currently almost full, but as soon as mandatory cuts begin in June due to the ongoing drought in California, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water Department will be forced to draw from the reservoir to make up for the deficit in water they’ll receive from the state.

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Thumbnail of Views of The Oaks gated communit_ions due to the ongoing drought.

Thumbnail of John Mueller, center, points out_ort to reduce their water usage.

Thumbnail of Views of John & Margaret_ the ongoing California drought.

Thumbnail of Cason Gilmer, the Senior Field C_ort to reduce their water usage.

Thumbnail of A home in the mid-Wilshire neigh_ongoing drought on May 27, 2022.

Thumbnail of Laurence D. Springer, a utility _ as opposed to giving citations.

Thumbnail of Residential homes in Westlake Vi_e ongoing drought in California.

Thumbnail of A home in Agoura Hills, CA, seen_due to the severe drought in CA.

Thumbnail of Cason Gilmer, the Senior Field C_ions due to the ongoing drought.

Thumbnail of Water runoff breeds algae in fro_ions due to the ongoing drought.

Thumbnail of Homes in the mid-Wilshire neighb_tered regularly on May 27, 2022.

Thumbnail of Laurence D. Springer, a utility _ons would be given if necessary.

Thumbnail of The Las Virgenes Reservoir in We_rsquo;ll receive from the state.

Thumbnail of The water processing plant at th_rsquo;ll receive from the state.

Public Project

Water Cops - Wall Street Journal

Copyright Molly Peters 2025

Date of Work May 2022 - May 2022

Updated Jul 2022

Location Los Angeles

Topics Climate, Climate Change, Conservation, Desert, Documentary, Drought, Editorial, Environment, Essays, Journalism, Photography

Amid California's worst drought on record, increasingly strict water use restrictions are being imposed on residents in the greater Los Angeles area. I spent two days on assignment for the Wall Street Journal at the end of May 2022 with writer Jim Carlton, accompanying so-called "water cops" as they made their rounds, looking for signs of water misuse and educating residents about the new rules. The strictest area, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, has reduced allowed outdoor watering to one day a week, for a maximum of eight minutes. Violators are warned, then face increasing penalties, though the officials monitoring use emphasize that they try to work with customers directly to educate and help them reduce water waste. To read the full story, click here.

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