Water Conservation Policy : The Case of Los Angeles City

Abstract: This thesis aims to increase our understanding of how the drought and water shortages between 2013-2017 were framed locally in Los Angeles City. The main focus is the mandatory water conservation policy put forth by Los Angeles City in 2016. The method being used is a frame analysis with three guiding questions as an analytical framework. Those three questions are; -       if the definition of water and users of water is the same as in Ostrom’s research on common pool resources -       if climate change is part of the discourse in policy and -       what frames are being used to persuade citizens to comply with policy on water conservation.   This study shows that Los Angeles City does not share the definitions of water and users of water with Ostrom, climate change is not mentioned in the policy on Emergency Water Conservation and penalties and the police force is used to get citizens to comply with water conservation policy. However, mandatory restrictions on water use are needed, according to the Mayor of Los Angeles City, in order to avoid a public disaster or calamity.