[Water_news] 2. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: SUPPLY - 5/07/09

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment 

 

May 7, 2009

 

2. Supply –

 

Heavy rains bring little water relief

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat

 

Water conservation is now mandatory in city of Thousand Oaks
The Thousand Oaks Acorn

 

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Heavy rains bring little water relief

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat – 5/6/09

By Guy Kovner

 

A five-day burst of rain soaked the North Coast but did little to ease the region’s water shortage, which has communities striving to curb use by 15 percent to as much as 50 percent.

 

The late rains that fell from Friday through Tuesday dropped 2.72 inches on Santa Rosa and 2.17 inches on Ukiah but had negligible impact on reservoir levels in what officials say is a third straight dry year.

 

For Santa Rosa, the five-day rainfall total exceeded the 30-year average for the months of April and May combined.

 

Lake Mendocino near Ukiah got just 1,100 more acre feet of water — a 2 percent increase, leaving it at 61 percent of capacity, said Brad Sherwood of the Sonoma County Water Agency.

 

“That’s just a drop in the bucket,” he said.

 

Lake Sonoma remained nearly full with 92 percent of its water supply pool stored behind Warm Springs Dam west of Geyserville.

 

Ranchers got a boost from the precipitation, which will postpone the need for crop irrigation. But for water managers it was more of a public relations headache.

 

“Late spring rain makes it harder to get the conservation message out to the public,” Sherwood said.

 

He was dismayed to see lawn sprinklers running as the raindrops fell, evidence that the message wasn’t reaching everyone.

 

Santa Rosa, Windsor and the North Marin Water District, which serves the Novato area, are among the local agencies that are seeking a 15 percent reduction in water use.

 

In Santa Rosa, Windsor and Sebastopol it is voluntary; North Marin’s water conservation order is mandatory.

 

Healdsburg has asked residents to voluntarily meet a 20 percent reduction from 2008 water consumption. Cotati’s goal is a voluntary 10 percent reduction.

 

Rohnert Park has no water conservation standards this year.

 

In Mendocino County, at least three water districts are seeking a voluntary 50 percent reduction. The Redwood Valley County Water District is making it mandatory, with a recommended limit of 60 gallons a person a day.

 

If every household stays within that recommendation, “we have a good chance of making it through he summer,” said a notice sent to Redwood Valley water customers.

 

“Brown lawns and dirty cars must become a reality and a sign of community support,” the notice said.

 

The district, which serves about 3,000 people in an unincorporated area north of Ukiah, draws its water directly from Lake Mendocino.

 

Santa Rosa declared a water shortage emergency in February, establishing the voluntary 15 percent water cutback, prohibiting sidewalk and patio washing and stipulating that restaurants only serve water on request.

 

If the region’s water situation worsens this summer, Santa Rosa will replace the 15 percent conservation goal with household consumption limits, starting at 65 gallons a person a day. At even lower allowances — 57 and 50 gallons a person a day — the city would impose a surcharge on households that exceed the limits.#

 

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090506/articles/905069873

 

Water conservation is now mandatory in city of Thousand Oaks
The Thousand Oaks Acorn – 5/7/09
By Nancy Needham

Don't even think about wasting that drop of water.

 

Voluntary water use restrictions became mandatory as the City Council unanimously passed a new water conservation ordinance that includes three levels of action.

 

"California is a very arid region. . . . We need to treat water as the commodity that it is and be reasonable, with no waste of water," said public works director Mark Watkins.

 

The city avoided using past water conservation measures, such as requesting a 10 percent cutback from every customer, which actually rewarded former heavy water users, Watkins said.

 

"These are fair across the board," he said, referring to the new plan.

 

The strategy taken during the April 21 meeting emphasizes responsible water use, limits irrigation hours, prohibits excessive runoff, discourages hosing hard surfaces and requires the timely repair of leaks.

 

Restaurants will serve water only when it's requested; hotels will offer linen changes less often than daily, and decorative fountains and car washes will be required to recycle water. A nozzle will be required on the end of a hose for residents who wash their cars at home.

 

"These are primarily common-sense measures that limit the wasting of water," Watkins said.

 

The council will have to decide which of the three water conservation levels is appropriate at a given time.

 

Level 1 is for moderate water restrictions. It includes limiting landscape irrigation to three days a week in the summer and two days a week in the winter. Water leaks must be repaired within 72 hours.

 

"Leaking faucets and running toilets waste a lot of water," Watkins said.

 

Level 2 would be for severe water restrictions. Landscape irrigation would only be permitted two days a week in the summer and one day a week in the winter. Water leak repairs would need to be fixed within 48 hours. The filling of pools and spas would be limited.

 

If the council determines that water conservation needs are critical—if, for instance, an earthquake breaks pipes and halts importing of water—Level 3 restrictions would be initiated. Landscape irrigation would be prohibited except for hand watering, water leaks would have to be fixed within 24 hours, and a moratorium would be placed on new water service.

 

"To enforce some of these would you rely on neighbors calling on neighbors?" Councilmember Claudia Billde la Peña asked.

 

"Yes. People voluntarily complying and people letting us know if people are not complying," Watkins said.

 

Bill-de la Peña also asked if the reverse 911 system could be used to notify people about water conservation.

 

"No, that's for emergencies," City Manager Scott Mitnick said.

 

"It's not long before there will be a true water emergency," Bill-de la Peña said.

 

Watkins promised to get the message out.

 

Councilmember Jacqui Irwin suggested there be a broken sprinkler hotline for people who are outdoors jogging or walking a dog early in the morning and notice broken sprinklers that homeowners may not be aware of.

 

The complaintbased enforcement will rely on neighbors reporting each other. A resident will be contacted by the city for the first offense. There will be fines for repeat offenders. Habitual offenders will get water flow restriction devices put on their pipes or have their service disconnected. #

 

http://www.toacorn.com/news/2009/0507/community/020.html

 

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