Western Cities Water Explainer

FILE - Bruce Murray, a greenskeeper at Chambers Bay golf course, waters the 16th tee next to the course's signature lone fir tree, Thursday, June 11, 2015, in University Place, Wash., a week before hosting the U.S. Open golf tournament. The sight of fountains, swimming pools, gardens and golf courses in Western cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego and Albuquerque can seem jarring with drought and climate change tightening their grip on the region. But Western water experts say they aren’t necessarily cause for concern. Many Western cities over the past three decades have diversified their water sources, boosted local supplies, and use water more efficiently now than in the past. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)