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Despite drought, South Coast’s water supply steady

Posted by: Maven on June 15, 2009 at 6:31 am

From Noozhawk:

Summer’s nearly here, and for many water agencies across California, that means turning a wary eye to the state’s water supplies. As the arid weather of summer takes hold, so do concerns about drought, water supply and more wildfires. The Sierra snowpack, much of the South Coast’s water source from the State Water Project, melted early and fast, and environmental regulations in the Sacramento delta have restricted allocations.

On June 1, the Metropolitan Water District clamped down on water usage with mandatory rationing and a new water pricing structure for Los Angeles. Residents of the metropolis must limit watering of their yards to Mondays and Thursdays. Shortage-year rates have gone into effect, reducing customers’ allocations by 15 percent and charging additional fees for water used over that limit.

The South Coast is no stranger to water shortages. In the late 1980s and early ‘90s, a severe drought caused residents to live with the same kind of restrictions and more. However, it seems that most of the water agencies on the South Coast are not yet considering the hard-line stance Los Angeles has adopted.

“We are actually pretty different,” said Alison Jordan, water conservation coordinator for the city of Santa Barbara. “We have fairly different water supplies than most of the rest of Southern California. Although the South Coast bought into State Water, along with many other communities in Central and Southern California, the region also has water from Lake Cachuma, Gibraltar Dam and underground aquifers.”

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June 15, 2009 · Filed Under Storage and supply

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