Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation for DWR personnel of significant news articles and comment
March 29, 2007
1. Top Item -
Water concern continues
A shortage prompts officials to urge residents to turn off their sprinklers through Tuesday.
Orange
By ADAM TOWNSEND, ERIC CARPENTER and VIK JOLLY
Freeway signs usually reserved for warnings of child abductions and traffic tie-ups greeted motorists with an unusual message Wednesday: "Orange County Water Emergency. Conserve Water."
Officials in charge of
Water reservoirs across
The shortage is a result of a weeklong shutdown for upgrades at the Robert B. Diemer plant in
Water officials are asking residents and businesses to conserve through Tuesday to allow depleted reservoirs around the county to refill. But in some parts of the
"Nobody will wake up without drinking water," said Kelly Hubbard, emergency services manager for the Municipal Water District of Orange County. "We have contingency plans if it ever started to reach that level. But we want people to know that this is a serious situation."
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's plant pumps and filters half of the water used in
Officials had topped off reservoirs and called for customers to curtail water use through newspapers, direct mailers and automated phone messages. But customers failed to conserve as much as expected, and reservoirs quickly drained.
By Tuesday night, it was clear to water officials the situation was becoming dire. Officials warn that current consumption rates could lead to dry taps in some areas.
Karl Seckel, assistant general manager of the Orange County Municipal Water District, was on conference calls all day Wednesday with directors from the 29 local providers to which the district brokers water.
Despite signs and media attention, Seckel said water demand still increased around the county from Tuesday to Wednesday, particularly in the Anaheim, Yorba Linda, Moulton Niguel, La Habra and San Clemente districts. Districts serving
Seckel said he expected water consumption to drop by today as word of the shortage spread.
Fire authority officials had planned for the shutdown but were stunned by the dwindling water supply.
"We're used to dealing with something like this when water is cut to a city block. But to be dealing with this large an area is very unusual," Capt. Stephen Miller said.
The San Clemente Water District sent crews to stop unessential watering.
"Where we see water being wasted, we are knocking on doors and letting residents know about what we're facing," said A.J. Howard, utilities manager for the
Howard's district serves about 17,000 customers and water use runs about 5.5 million gallons per day. Officials had expected that average would decrease to less than 5 million gallons; instead it increased to more than 6 million.
Similar patterns were seen across the county.
In
"I was raised that way," she said. "We just don't waste."#
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1633377.php
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