[Water_news] 2. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: SUPPLY - 5/9/07

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment 

 

May 9, 2007

 

2. Supply

 

SUPPLY CONDITIONS:

AmCan's water supply adequate, officials say - Vallejo Times Herald

 

WATER METERING:

Editorial: Water meters: It's about time - Visalia Times Delta

 

 

SUPPLY CONDITIONS:

AmCan's water supply adequate, officials say

Vallejo Times Herald – 5/9/07

By Dan Judge, staff writer

 

AMERICAN CANYON - Despite last month's declaration that the Bay Area is officially experiencing a drought, it appears American Canyon will stay afloat through the summer.

 

City officials were informed this week that state water project customers will almost certainly receive at least 60 percent of their allotment from the North Bay Aqueduct this year.

 

That is especially good news for American Canyon, which owns no reservoirs and relies on the state water project for nearly all of its water supply.

 

With that water and more available through a purchasing agreement with Vallejo, American Canyon should be able to weather the dry season, Public Works Director Robert Weil said Tuesday. "We were concerned about it earlier this year but we look to be in pretty good shape with our water resources," he said.

 

American Canyon needs an estimated 3,500 acre feet of water per year, or about 1.1 billion gallons.

 

The state water project's 60 percent allotment will provide about 2,900 acre feet, while the Vallejo contract will yield 500.

 

That leaves only about 100 acre feet of water unaccounted for, Weil said.

 

"We're not sure exactly how we're going to fill that gap, but we have a contract for potable water with Vallejo and a connection with the city of Napa, and they have been willing to help us out when the need arises," he said.

 

Allocation 'favorable'

 

The state water project allocation is "pretty favorable" for such a dry year, said Felix Riesenberg, Napa County's principal water resources engineer. its size is largely due to previous years of heavy rainfall that have kept reservoirs full.

 

"If we have another dry year, next year won't be so good," he said.

 

City officials are also keeping a wary eye on a legal battle being waged over Sacramento delta water.

 

An Alameda County Superior Court judge ruled last month that the state's pumping station near Tracy illegally kills Chinook salmon and delta smelt and must be shut down within 60 days.

 

The order, which would have a devastating impact on millions of Californians, was temporarily stayed when the state Department of Water Resources filed an appeal of the judge's decision Monday.

 

While the pumping station does not serve American Canyon, the same issues exist at the Barker Slough pumping station, which does provide water to Solano and Napa counties.

 

There is a remote chance, Weil said, that a similar legal challenge could be raised here.

 

If the Barker Slough station were to be shut down, he said American Canyon would be facing a crisis situation.

 

"That's 82 percent of what we're counting on right now," Weil said. "It would be a massive hit." #

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/todaysnews/ci_5853977

 

 

WATER METERING:

Editorial: Water meters: It's about time

Visalia Times Delta – 5/9/07

 

Issue: On Monday, California Water Service notified the Visalia City Council of its intention to install water meters for all Visalia customers by 2025 as required by state mandate.

 

Water is this area's most vital resource and a great deal of the region's energy is devoted to harvesting, treating and conserving water.

 

Yet we continue to waste water as if the stuff were as plentiful as dirt.

 

We have long wondered why, in our semi-arid region, water meters aren't mandatory. That way water users would pay according to how much they use. The current status in Visalia allows many users to pay a flat rate for water no matter how much water they use, or waste. In the San Joaquin Valley, where competing interests fight over water for the precious thing it is, that is simply crazy.

 

And it will end. California Water Service, which supplies the city of Visalia with all its drinking water, will be required by state law to install water meters on every residence and business by 2025. It needs the time because installing water meters by the thousands is expensive, perhaps as much as $1.3 million a year for 18 years, presuming CalWater can get to all 18,000 customers who need meters in the ensuing 18 years.

 

Despite the time lag, all we can say is that it's about time.

 

When CalWater informed the council of its plans Monday night, some council members were shocked at the current system.

"Visalia is located in a desert environment, and all along there hasn't been any aggressive effort toward water conservation?" Council Member Greg Collins asked.

 

In fact, Visalia has had no effort toward water conservation, aggressive or passive. The city promotes guidelines for watering lawns, filling pools, washing cars and hosing down sidewalks and driveways. But those are voluntary rules, more like suggestions.

 

Even if they were aggressively enforced, they would not represent the most effective way to encourage conservation and discourage waste: Make water an expensive commodity.

 

For some reason, folks in our Valley have long held the notion that water should be cheap, if not free, despite the evidence all around them that the opposite is in fact the case.

 

Large water users, especially agriculture, pay dearly for water, and consequently they are accustomed to thinking of it as treasure to be conserved, banked, traded, bought and sold, and by all means retained as property.

 

Yet typical water users in Visalia make no connection between their water bills and the thing that comes out of their taps, because they don't have to.

 

California Water Service admits that it encouraged the wasteful mindset: If people conserved water, they would buy less of the product they're selling, which hurts their bottom line.

 

But under new state rules that require metering, CalWater would be able to adjust its rates so that their profitability would not be hurt by conservation.

 

It only makes sense: When gas prices rise, people conserve gas.

 

If customers had to pay for water as they do for gas, there would be a lot more xeriscaped yards and a lot fewer leaky faucets.

 

When people pay, they pay attention. Most Visalians have had the luxury of not worrying about how much water they use. It's about time we all start worrying. #

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070509/OPINION01/705090331

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