Organizers say Los Angeles rejects giant street waterslide plan

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Authorities in Los Angeles have rejected a plan to set up a water slide down a city street that drew criticism from conservationists in the drought-hit state, organizers said. The one-day "slip 'n slide" event scheduled for next Saturday would have seen as much as 16,000 gallons of water splashed down the slide, and it prompted thousands of opponents to sign an online petition calling for the idea to be scrapped. In a statement posted online on Friday, organizers Slide the City said they had been told their permit was denied. "We have been working even harder over the past few days to resolve any issues the city may have but it appears there is no resolution," the statement said. The organizers said they had jumped through many extra official "hoops" and did not know whether the rejection was related to the drought, "or something else." They apologized to those who bought tickets for what they said was a sold-out event, and offered refunds. Last month a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Water and Power said the water used for the proposed slide would equal the amount used by 180 residents in a day. She said the department did not believe the plan was consistent with Los Angeles' "water conservation lifestyle." Overall, the city uses about 500 million gallons daily. In July California began issuing citations up to $500 for excessive outdoor watering, such as hosing down sidewalks and soaking lawns, in a bid to conserve resources during one of the state's worst dry spells on record. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Writing by Daniel Wallis and Greg Mahlich)