Water Education Foundation

DWP pitches solar farm, state park at Owens Lake

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 18, 2009 at 7:35 am

owens lakeFrom the Los Angeles Times:

“Los Angeles city officials are drafting a master plan for a proposed solar farm and possibly a state park on Owens Lake, drained nearly a century ago when its water was diverted to the Los Angeles Aqueduct, officials said Thursday.

Representatives with the Department of Water and Power disclosed the concept when they appeared before the California State Lands Commission, which has regulatory authority over the dusty lake bed near Lone Pine.

Commission members, meeting in San Diego, said they were intrigued by the idea but remain wary because of the DWP’s history of using its ample political power to get its way and not cooperate with the state panel. A formal proposal could come before the commission in the spring.

The DWP’s plans for Owens Lake arose during a hearing on a separate dust control measure that the municipal utility proposed for portions of the lake bed: a series of moats and berms to control dust on 3 1/2 square miles of the 100-square-mile dry lake. … “

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

RELATED: Check out the Aquafornia exclusive slideshow of the Los Angeles Aqueduct.

December 18, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP, Southern California

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Commentary: LA is drowning in rate increases and we’ve got questions

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 17, 2009 at 7:47 am

From City Watch, this commentary:

“Over the past twelve months, LA’s water rates have increased by 20% to 30% depending on your level of usage.

However, this rate increase was actually larger when you factor in the elimination of the illegal 5% water transfer tax/fee and that the Department of Water and Power refused to rebate over $100 million of illegal water transfer taxes that were collected over the past years. Water rates have increased for a number of reasons. Among them: the Metro Water District … from whom LA buys some of it’s water … has increased its rates for purchased water by about 20%, reflecting the lower rainfall and snowfall in the West and the greater demand for water from the growing communities outside of California.

And, LA is more dependent on MWD because our traditional low cost supplies from the Owens Valley and the Sacramento Delta have been curtailed because of environmental litigation. …”

Read more from the City Watch blog by clicking here.

November 17, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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Cirque Du DWP: Nahai gets $82K via immaculate conception as Freeman tries not to step in it

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 22, 2009 at 9:08 am

From LA Weekly:

“The issue before the Department of Water and Power amounted to a simple question: Why settle for one exorbitantly paid top executive when the department could effectively employ two at the same time, at double the expense?

Apparently, that was too much to resist. So as H. David Nahai voluntarily quit after only nine months as general manager — he’s becoming an adviser for Bill Clinton’s climate-control initiative — the nation’s largest public utility decided to keep paying him anyway, in a deal that costs $6,282 a week. That’s the equivalent of $326,664 a year, exactly what Nahai was earning before he quit.

Then the DWP board voted 3-0 (with members Jonathan Parfrey and Thomas S. Sayles joining board President Lee Kanon Alpert) to put Stetson-wearing, swashbuckling S. David Freeman — a polarizing figure who held the general manager’s job eight years ago — into his old seat at $6,250 per week, or $325,000 a year.

So DWP will be paying the equivalent of $651,000 a year on one GM position, ostensibly so that the very short-lived Nahai can share his vast “institutional knowledge.” …”

Read more from LA Weekly by clicking here.

October 22, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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In Los Angeles, more water main breaks become business as usual; Despite publicity about ruptures, utility says the number of incidents now ‘back to normal’

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 21, 2009 at 7:56 am

From the Los Angeles Daily News:

“A municipal water main bursts at 2 a.m. Tuesday and water gushes across Mulholland Drive near Sherman Oaks, soaking two backyards and caking several intersections with mud.

A short time later, two separate water lines rupture in South Los Angeles, causing a sinkhole, flooding and street closures.

But for the Department of Water and Power, it’s back to business as usual in Los Angeles.

“The (number of water line breaks) have returned back to normal,” said DWP spokesman Joe Ramallo, noting a big dip in main line breaks in October compared with September.

“What we’ve seen is a lot of increased media coverage on what in the past had been minor breaks that no one noticed,” Ramallo said.

So far in October, there have been 18 water main breaks, including the latest on Mulholland Drive. That puts October on pace to drop sharply from September, when 44 significant breaks were reported, Ramallo said. …”

Read more from the Daily News by clicking here.

October 21, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP, Southern California

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Klondike Lake debate proves unsinkable

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 15, 2009 at 7:52 am

Klondike Lake #1 2009From Bishop’s Inyo Register:

“Inyo County continues to keep the debate about motorized use at Klondike Lake at arms length despite cries for help from a number of concerned citizens.

When the Save Klondike Committee first formed this spring, the board assigned two members, Second District Supervisor Susan Cash and Fourth District Supervisor Marty Fortney, to work with the citizen group and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in hopes of keeping Klondike Lake opened to motorized use. The board has refused to demand that LADWP keep Klondike open to motorized use, saying it does not have the financial means to contribute to regulating the lake and that it is LADWP’s lake and responsibility.

The Save Klondike Committee has volunteered man-hours and money to regulate the lake, saying it feels it is everyone’s responsibility to guard local waters from invasive quagga mussels while enjoying the recreational opportunities local lakes provide.

During a heated discussion at last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Bishop resident Kammi Foote said that Klondike Lake is a mitigation measure in the Long Term Water Agreement, meaning the LADWP has a legal responsibility to keep the lake open for “reasonable” recreational uses, as stated in the LTWA. …”

Read more from the Inyo Register by clicking here.

You can find out more about the Los Angeles Aqueduct and the issues surrounding it by checking out the Aquafornia slideshow: The Los Angeles Aqueduct in pictures: From Mono Lake to Southern California

October 15, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP, Owens Valley & Mono Lake

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Biography of S. David Freeman, Interim LADWP General Manager

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 14, 2009 at 7:42 am

From the Department of Water & Power:

“S. David Freeman was appointed Interim General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) on October 6, 2009. Mr. Freeman oversees the largest municipal utility in the country, managing over 8,500 employees and an annual budget of more than four billion dollars. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Freeman served the City of Los Angeles as Deputy Mayor of Energy and Environment, the City’s chief environmental official. He was previously President of the Los Angeles Harbor Commission, where he led the boards of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to adopt the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action plan, a comprehensive strategy to reduce port air emissions by nearly 50 percent over a period of five years.

Mr. Freeman was the first person with energy-related responsibilities in the Federal government, appointed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967. Thereafter, he began a 30-year run as board member and manager of many of America’s largest publicly-owned utilities. President Jimmy Carter appointed him Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1977, where he cut sulfur oxide emissions in half, stopped construction of eight large nuclear power plants and pioneered a massive energy conservation program. Mr. Freeman then served as general manager of large public power agencies for the next two decades, including his first tenure with LADWP from 1997 to 2001.

Mr. Freeman holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech, and an L.L.B. from the University of Tennessee. Mr. Freeman served as a Merchant Marine in World War II, transporting gasoline across the North Atlantic. He authored Energy: The New Era in 1974, and Winning Our Energy Independence: An Energy Insider Shows How in 2007.”

October 14, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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DWP News wrap-up: Deputy L.A. mayor tapped to lead DWP, but some on council blast Nahai deal

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 7, 2009 at 6:48 am

From the Los Angeles Times:

“The panel that oversees the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power voted Tuesday to name Deputy Mayor S. David Freeman interim general manager, paying him $6,250 per week at the same time the agency retains its recently departed top executive as a consultant.

The commission, whose members are appointed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, voted 3 to 0 to hire Freeman starting Tuesday. Meanwhile, the agency will pay former General Manager H. David Nahai, who announced his resignation Friday, $6,282 per week.

Nahai’s three-month contract drew strong words from City Councilman Dennis Zine, who introduced a proposal calling for DWP officials to explain their actions to the council. Zine said it was “absolutely absurd” to pay two executive salaries in such difficult economic times. …”

More from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

From the Daily News:

” … “This is more than comical,” City Councilman Dennis Zine said. “Here we are putting city workers on furlough, talking about reducing cop hiring, asking people to conserve water, and then we’re talking about squandering thousands of dollars on this man.”

The Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners voted Tuesday to temporarily replace Nahai with Deputy Mayor David Freeman at Nahai’s annual salary of $325,000.

City Council members Tony Cardenas and Greig Smith also questioned the consultant contract, saying it was not necessary with an experienced hand like Freeman at the helm.

“There is no question (Nahai) is valuable, no question he is knowledgeable. But why do we need to pay him when we have someone who is capable?” said Cardenas, who serves on the council’s Energy and Environment Committee that oversees the DWP. …”

More from the Daily News by clicking here.

A Los Angeles Times editorial agrees:

” … But just because it’s common doesn’t make it right. The DWP’s stated justification for paying Nahai, who is leaving to join former President Clinton’s Climate Initiative, nearly $82,000 by Dec. 31 is that his institutional knowledge is needed during the transition to a new chief. Left unmentioned is that the department’s interim chief will be S. David Freeman, who was managing federal energy policy when Nahai was in grade school and ran the DWP from 1997 to 2001. The idea that Freeman needs advice from Nahai, who was criticized for his inexperience when he was appointed to head the DWP less than two years ago, is laughable.

Although Nahai clearly doesn’t deserve a handsome payout to just go away, we still think he handled himself well in a difficult and highly politicized job. His lukewarm support for Measure B, a flawed initiative on the March ballot, attracted the ire of its architect — Brian D’Arcy, the head of the DWP’s powerful electricians union. A key aim of Measure B was to ensure that large-scale solar energy projects in L.A. would be owned by the DWP and thus built and maintained by union members. The initiative, which was defeated in March, was also heavily backed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who receives generous contributions from D’Arcy’s union. …”

Read more of this editorial from the LA Times by clicking here.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press is reporting two more water main breaks …. click here.

October 7, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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Nahai to be offered a consulting job at DWP

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 6, 2009 at 6:25 am

From the Los Angeles Times:

“Officials at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power plan to give a consulting contract to the agency’s outgoing general manager that would pay him the same salary he earned as its top executive.

Days after he resigned, H. David Nahai is slated to receive nearly $6,300 per week as a consultant to the utility. The DWP commission, whose five members are appointed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the plan.

DWP commission President Lee Kanon Alpert said he asked Nahai to stay on as a consultant for the rest of the year. Such arrangements are typical when there is a transition from one executive to another, Alpert said.

“There’s nothing nefarious about it, nothing complex about it. This is a reasonable business decision, nothing more than that,” Alpert said. “David’s resigned, and we need his institutional knowledge for the next few months.” …”

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

October 6, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP, Southern California

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Battered by criticism, H. David Nahai resigns from DWP

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 3, 2009 at 7:28 am

From the Los Angeles Times:

“After nearly two years of fending off criticism from ratepayers and his own employees, H. David Nahai stepped down Friday as head of the nation’s largest municipally owned utility, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Nahai, 56, said in a letter to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa that he would leave immediately to take a position as an advisor to former President Clinton’s climate initiative to battle global warming.

But well before he announced his new job, the Iranian-born environmentalist and attorney found himself under fire on several fronts. Support within Villaraigosa’s office had eroded dramatically, and Brian D’Arcy, the head of the DWP’s powerful employees union, had stopped speaking to him, sources familiar with the situation said.

D’Arcy, business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 18, did not return a call seeking comment. But earlier this year, he blamed Nahai for the defeat of Measure B, a solar power ballot measure that was narrowly rejected in March. …”

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

October 3, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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This just in … David Nahai, head of the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, steps down effective immediately

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 2, 2009 at 4:29 pm

From the Los Angeles Times LA Now blog:

“The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s top executive, H. David Nahai, has resigned from the agency effective immediately, the mayor’s office announced this morning.

In a letter to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Nahai said he was leaving to take a position as an advisor to former President Clinton’s climate initiative.

Nahai had served two years as a DWP commissioner before Villaraigosa elevated him to the post of chief executive and general manager in 2007. Ever since, he had been under fire from an array of forces.

He drew strong criticism from the head of the powerful International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 18, which represents thousands of DWP workers, who accused Nahai of doing too little to secure the passage of Measure B, a solar power ballot proposal that narrowly fell short of passage in March. …”

Read more from the LA Now blog by clicking here.

Read Nahai’s resignation letter by clicking here.

October 2, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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Water demand in Los Angeles reaches a 32-year low, DWP says; One official says the drop shows that the new water restrictions are working, others report falling demand as well

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 28, 2009 at 6:48 am

From the Los Angeles Times:

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported Monday that water demand reached a 32-year low for the month of June, dropping 11% compared with the same period in 2008. im McDaniel, the senior assistant general manager of DWP’s water system, said hard work by ratepayers is paying off. Though experts said June was on average 4 degrees cooler than normal, McDaniel attributed the low demand to the new water restrictions.

“You don’t see those kinds of reductions just due to weather,” he said.

The restrictions limit the use of sprinklers to 15 minutes a day on Mondays and Thursdays. No watering is allowed between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The DWP released the data days after lawmakers complained that the water-saving rules are killing lawns and gardens.

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

July 28, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP, Southern California

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LADWP customers successfully reduce water use under mandatory conservation; June water demand lowest in 32 years

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 27, 2009 at 6:57 am

From the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power:

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) water customers are responding to the call to conserve and have begun to achieve notable water savings in all customer sectors, with water demand at a 32-year low for the month of June, according to Department records. For the month of June, single-family water use was 12.7 percent lower than June 2008 and nearly 17 percent lower than June 2007, when Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa first issued a call to Angelenos to conserve 10 percent.

“We are very encouraged by the citywide response to mandatory water conservation. These results clearly indicate that our customers are more carefully using water during this time of natural and regulatory drought. For this, we are grateful, ” said David Nahai, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the LADWP. “Having said this, mandatory water conservation has only recently begun and now, with temperatures rising, we must continue efforts to reduce our water use. We still have a way to go.”

Overall, total water use by all five customer classes fell by 11 percent this June versus June 2008, and fell 14.4% since the “Base Year” – the year prior to the Mayor’s call to conserve 10% citywide.

Customer Sector

Change From Base Year
   
Single-Family Residential

-16.8%
Multi-Family Residential

-8.3%
Commercial

-12.7%
Industrial

-3.4%
Governmental

-29.5%
 

 
Total Water Usage

-14.4%

On June 1, the City of Los Angeles instituted mandatory water conservation, restricting sprinkler use to two days a week, Mondays and Thursdays, as well as instituting shortage year rates for all 680,000 water customers in the City of Los Angeles. This two-pronged approach is designed to spur greater water conservation, especially outdoors where between 30-40% of all water is used.

Mandatory water conservation restricts sprinkler watering to Mondays and Thursdays only and includes other provisions to save water such as prohibiting watering between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily, prohibiting hosing down driveways and sidewalks and water runoff, requiring all leaks be fixed and only using hoses fitted with shut-off nozzles, among other measures.

Shortage year water rates are a modified water pricing schedule wherein the water allocation for which customers pay the lowest lowest rate (Tier 1) is reduced by 15 percent, and the rate for any water used over the Tier 1 allocation is raised. Shortage year rates are designed to send a strong price signal to customers to conserve water or pay a higher price for excessive water use (Tier 2). Customers who conserve and stay within their reduced allocations will not be impacted financially, whereas those who exceed their allocations will see their bills rise. Customers already conserving 15 percent or more will not be affected.

“I want to thank our customers for cutting their use — it’s paying off,” said Jim McDaniel, Senior Assistant General Manager, LADWP Water System. “What we have asked them to do isn’t easy, but the results are proof of their efforts. Please keep up the good work.”

Customers can get tips on ways to conserve, read source and background materials and get information on the LADWP’s rebates, including the newest Residential Turf Removal Program, by visiting www.ladwp.com or by calling 1-800-DIAL DWP and following the prompts. The turf removal program rebates customers $1 a square foot of lawn removed and replaced by drought tolerant plants or permeable hardscape up to $2,000.

July 27, 2009 · Filed Under Conservation, LA DWP, Southern California

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LA DWP launches “Neighbors helping neighbors save water” program; Department asks customers to reduce outdoor watering, fix water leaks and help their neighbors do the same

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 3, 2009 at 3:28 pm

From the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, this press release:

To help raise awareness of Los Angeles’ serious water supply challenges and the growing need to conserve water in this era of climate change and drought, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has launched a “Neighbors Helping Neighbors Save Water” door hanger campaign.

On May 24, home delivery subscribers of the Los Angeles Times received a pad of “door hangers” inside a poly-wrapped bag with an explanation of the campaign and a list of the top prohibited uses of water in Los Angeles. Last Sunday, May 31, home delivery subscribers of the Los Angeles Daily News received the same and, on June 15 La Opinion readers who buy from the newsstand will receive Spanish language versions. The pads will also be made available to visitors of any of the 14 Los Angeles area LADWP Customer Service Centers.

LADWP door hangers are designed to help customers encourage their neighbors not to waste water and to avoid fines associated with violations of the City’s Water Conservation Ordinance. On one side of the door hanger is a list of four common wasteful water practices, with a checkbox for each prohibited use. Neighbors, when they spot water being wasted on a neighbor’s property, can select the box or boxes that apply and leave the hanger anonymously on the neighbor’s door. On the reverse side of the hanger is a list of water-savings tips and rebate information for products to help customers save.

“The LADWP Water Conservation Team is now actively patrolling the city to spot water waste,” said David Nahai, LADWP Chief Executive Officer and General Manager. “With the door hangers, residents can help their neighbors avoid potential violations and subsequent fines from the Team. The intent is to raise awareness and change behavior so that Angelenos will conserve water and safeguard the city’s water supply.”

The door hangers’ messaging includes a list of four common ways water is wasted outdoors, including:

• Excess water flowing over pavement and into gutters during irrigation or car washing
• Sprinklers are on more than twice a week
• Sprinklers are on during the day
• Broken or leaky sprinkler

The door hanger campaign is an element of the Department’s outreach campaign for mandatory water conservation measures, which began in Los Angeles on June 1. LADWP water customers can learn all the prohibited uses of water and other specifics of mandatory water conservation by visiting www.ladwp.com or by calling 1-800-DIAL DWP.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation’s largest municipal utility, provides reliable, low-cost water and power services to Los Angeles residents and businesses in an environmentally responsible manner. LADWP services about 1.4 million electric customers and 680,000 water customers in Los Angeles.

June 3, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP, Southern California

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LA DWP: Mandatory water conservation is here; shortage year water rates now in effect; outdoor watering restricted to Mondays and Thursdays only

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 2, 2009 at 7:46 am

From the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, this press release:

All Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) water customers are subject to mandatory water conservation beginning today, as planned measures proposed by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners and approved by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles City Council go into effect. The two central aspects of mandatory water conservation include a new water pricing structure and restrictions on watering with sprinklers.

The modified water pricing schedule, known as shortage year rates, effectively reduces all LADWP water customers’ water allocations by 15 percent and raises the rate for any water used over and beyond the allocation. Shortage year rates are designed to send a strong price signal to customers to conserve water or pay a higher price for excessive water use. Customers who conserve and stay within their reduced allocations will not be impacted financially whereas those who exceed their allocations will see their bills rise. Customers already conserving 15% will not be affected.

Watering with sprinklers will be restricted to outdoor watering Mondays and Thursdays only, in accordance with Phase 3 of the City’s Water Conservation Ordinance. Phase 3 provisions make water conservation mandatory in all LADWP customer sectors and violators are subject to citation in the form of a warning and subsequent fines. Additionally, hand watering using garden hoses fitted with shut-off nozzle devices is exempted but all forms of outdoor watering are prohibited between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. LADWP estimates up to 40% of all water consumed by single-family customers is used for outdoor purposes.

“Los Angeles, quite famously, has imported most of its water since the advent of the Los Angeles Aqueduct almost 100 years ago. Today, with both a natural drought statewide and a regulatory drought due to restrictions placed on the importation of water from the Delta, our water supplies are significantly reduced. We have no choice but to enact mandatory conservation,” said David Nahai, LADWP Chief Executive Officer and General Manager. “We all must do our part to cut back on our use of water – espcially outdoors, where water can most easily be saved.”

To inform customers, the Department has updated its website, www.ladwp.com, and enhanced its automated phone service, available to customers who call 1-800 DIAL DWP, with the specifics of mandatory water conservation. Shortage year rates and sprinkler restrictions have been the focus of regular and ongoing radio, television and print media interviews. The Department has placed major advertisements in the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily News, and La Opinion as well as recurring ads in numerous regional and community newspapers, with more planned. Additionally, the coming weeks will see LADWP will run ads on local television and radio outlets to air throughout the high-demand season. The Department has also frequently sent messages via its Twitter account, registered as “LADWP,” and has sent letters to every customer informing them about shortage year rates and the new restrictions, among numerous other ongoing strategies to raise awareness.

Additionally, the LADWP Water Conservation Team is actively patrolling the city to help inform customers of water waste they observe in progress and learn about through tips from neighbors and concerned citizens who call 1-800-DIAL DWP or send e-mails to waterconservationteam@ladwp.com.

To help customers save water and money, LADWP offers numerous rebate programs and incentives for switching to water-efficient devices and tips for easy ways to reduce water use. This information, as well as comprehensive information on shortage year rates and the prohibited uses of water, is all available at www.ladwp.com or by calling 1-800-DIAL DWP.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation’s largest municipal utility, provides reliable, low-cost water and power services to Los Angeles residents and businesses in an environmentally responsible manner. LADWP services about 1.4 million electric customers and 680,000 water customers in Los Angeles.

More on Los Angeles’ water restrictions by clicking here.

June 2, 2009 · Filed Under Conservation, LA DWP, Southern California

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LADWP: Secuting LA’s water future – the plan, plus fact sheets

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 13, 2009 at 6:12 am

From the LADWP Website:

While dry seasons and the toll of climate change continue to threaten Los Angeles’ future water supply, population growth is expected to drive up water demand in Los Angeles by 15 percent by 2030.

Developed by the Mayor’s Office and LADWP, the “Securing LA’s Water Future” plan calls for an aggressive, multi-pronged approach to meet this increase in demand, combining short-term steps to conserve water with long-term investment in water-efficient technology, water recycling, and improvements in the groundwater supply.

Get a summary of the plan, plus a link to the complete plan, by clicking here.

Find out more with LADWP Fact Sheets:

May 13, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP, Southern California

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DWP floats plan to pump 5,000 acre-feet less in 2009

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 5, 2009 at 8:55 am

From the Inyo Register:

Despite some related concerns, Inyo County likes the overall look of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s draft Operations Plan for the Owens Valley, which describes its plan to pump 63,100 acre-feet of groundwater in the 2009 runoff year.

The Board of Supervisors reviewed the LADWP Plan this week and is scheduled to discuss a controversial confidentiality notice on the cover sheet and pumping overages from last year at a May 4 technical group meeting.

The LADWP is expecting the spring runoff to be 68 percent of normal, a relatively dry year, but Inyo County Water Department Director Bob Harrington said that the proposed 63,100 acre-feet of water the LADWP is planning to pump in 2009 “complies with the pumping limitations of the Interim Management Plan.” The figure proposed this year by LADWP is 5,049 acre-feet less than what it pumped last year – when runoff was 86 percent of normal – and 3,700 acre-feet less than what LADWP had proposed to pump for that runoff year.

Read more from the Inyo Register by clicking here.

May 5, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP, Owens Valley & Mono Lake

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Bird census at Owens Lake shows nature returning: Just hoping to control dust, L.A. DWP poured ankle-deep water into a Central California lake bed; Now tens of thousands of migrating waterfowl and shorebirds stop there

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 19, 2009 at 7:03 am

From the Los Angeles Times:

Reporting from Lone Pine, Calif. — Teams of biologists fanned out across the vast playa of Owens Lake on Saturday to take a full accounting of one of environmentalism’s unintended successes: tens of thousands of migrating waterfowl and shorebirds roosting on a dust-control project. The 100-square-mile lake just east of Sequoia National Park was transformed into dusty salt flats after 1913, when its cargo of snow melt and spring water was diverted into the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Since 2001, however, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has flooded portions of the lake bed to control choking dust pollution.

Nature quickly responded to the ankle-deep sheet of water delivered by the $500-million dust-control project’s plumbing system. First to appear on the sheen of water tinged bright green by algae were brine flies. Then came migrating birds that feed on them and peregrine falcons that feed on the birds.

This year, Audubon California designated Owens Lake one of the 17 most important bird areas in the state and a globally important wetlands in the making.

Peering through a spotting scope in the direction of a chaotic chorus of gulls and waterfowl, Michael Prather, a botanist who helped organize the lake-wide bird census, said, “We believe there are more birds at Owens Lake now than at any time since its water was diverted in 1913.” Moments later, the birds lifted off the water in a clatter of wing beats.

“There’s a palpable tenseness among these migrating birds,” he mused. “It’s almost as though, having little time to spare, they are tapping their feet, anxious to get moving to their ultimate destinations.”

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

April 19, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP, Owens Valley & Mono Lake

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Turn the tide on water policy: There’s smart water policy and dumb water policy, says editorial

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 12, 2009 at 7:08 am

From the Daily Breeze, this editorial:

Los Angeles city residents have been subjected to dumb water policy for so long that it’s understandable they might be skeptical when the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power wants to enact smart policy. The Board of Water and Power Commissioners recently voted to impose lower water bills for households that cut their use by 15 percent while raising bills for households that don’t conserve.

That makes a lot of sense. Los Angeles implemented mandatory conservation last summer, which prohibited people from over-irrigating their lawns and hosing down sidewalks or driveways, and barred restaurants from serving a glass of water unless a customer requests it. That reduced water use by about 5percent.

Now, L.A. has to limit water usage even more, amid cuts in imported water that will reduce the city’s supply by 12 percent.

Read the rest of this editorial from the Daily Breeze by clicking here.

April 12, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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LADWP approves shortage year water rates effective June 1st

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 18, 2009 at 11:17 pm

From the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, this press release:

The Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners (Board) has unanimously approved instituting shortage year rates for all Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) water customers effective June 1, 2009, citing reduced water supplies due to drought and regulatory restrictions imposed on the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. Shortage year rates are designed to send a strong price signal to customers to conserve water or pay a much higher price for excessive water use.

“We did not make this decision without very serious consideration, but Los Angeles is facing a dire water shortage and conservation is absolutely imperative,” said Board President Lee Kanon Alpert. “We take the matter seriously and need to act now to give our customers notice that mandatory water conservation is needed. In fact, it is becoming increasingly clear that this is not a short term problem and unfortunately will require a more significant change of lifestyle on a long term basis.”

“With our water supplies significantly reduced, we must adjust our consumption to fit the times,” said David Nahai, LADWP CEO and General Manager. “We are experiencing both a natural drought and a regulatory drought due to restrictions placed on the importation of water from the Delta, and though our customers have cut their use, we believe that significantly more conservation will be needed. Simple steps such as reducing outdoor watering to only two days per week are relatively effortless, but add up to big savings.”

Shortage year rates seek to achieve 15% water savings citywide and in all customer sectors — single-family, multi-family, commercial, industrial and governmental. Under shortage year rates, the current Tier 1 water allocation, which is the standard allocation every customer gets per billing cycle, will be reduced by 15%. A customer’s allocation is based on number of family members, heat zone and lot size. Customers whose water use remains within their reduced allocation will actually see their bills go down. Customers who usually stay within their regular allocation and do not reduce their water use by 15% will pay a premium rate for each gallon they use beyond their new reduced water allocation. Customers who today exceed their regular allocation and pay Tier 2 rates routinely, and do not significantly cut their water use under shortage year rates, will see their water bills increase substantially.
An example of an LADWP residential customer under shortage year rates in June 2009:

Before Shortage Year Rates

After 15% Shortage Year Rates Allocation

Without 15% Conservation

With 15% Conservation

Customer Use

28 HCF

28 HCF

24 HCF

Applicable Rate

28 HCF @ Tier 1

First 24 HCF @ Tier 1

24 HCF @ Tier 1

4 HCF @ Tier 2

Total Bill

$83.52

$92.35

$71.59

HCF= hundred cubic feet

The Board action is subject to review by the Los Angeles City Council and will stand approved unless disapproved by April 9, 2009.

More information about LADWP’s water rates can be found on the Department website at www.ladwp.com/waterrates.  For information on water conservation and prohibited water uses, water conservation tips and more, please visit www.ladwp.com and click on “Water Conservation.”

March 18, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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Los Angeles water rates revised to penalize heavy users

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 18, 2009 at 6:34 am

From the Los Angeles Times:

Warning that the city faces a water shortage this summer, Los Angeles officials approved new water rates Tuesday that will penalize residents if they don’t cut their water use by 15%.

Many low-income water users should not see a rise in rates, while some homeowners with large lots who don’t conserve can expect a jump of $11 a month, according to the Department of Water and Power, which unanimously adopted the pricing structure. The rates would go into effect June 1 unless the City Council blocks the move.

The DWP’s commission approved the measure despite wet weather in February and early March that improved statewide water conditions. “We have to be prudent; we have to be conservative,” department General Manager H. David Nahai said after the vote. Snowpack and reservoir levels “haven’t improved nearly enough for any of us to feel complacent about the water picture we face,” Nahai said.

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

March 18, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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Meat and potatoes missing from DWP’s strategic water planning workshop, says commentary

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 17, 2009 at 7:44 am

From City Watch, this commentary by Michael Cohen, a long-time community advocate and an occasional contributor to CityWatch, who attended DWP’s Water and Strategic Planning Workshop, and files this report:

L.A. Is losing water on multiple fronts, half of our traditional water supply from the Aqueduct is being diverted to raise the water level of Mono Lake and for dust mitigation in the Owens Valley. So reported Senior Assistant to the GM, James McDaniel at Saturday’s Water and Strategic Planning Workshop.

The Eastern Sierra Nevada snow pack is at 70% from last year, he said, and the water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has been reduced, as in spilt smelt. If that wasn’t bad enough, through industrial and government indifference and carelessness the San Fernando Valley’s ground water contribution has become an ingredient for lab research. It’s just too contaminated for our use.

The Governor has declared a statewide drought and the DWP has instituted Stage 1 water conservation measures with at least two more stages to go. So prepare to use less water for landscaping, lawns, pools, and home gardens or beware the warnings and eventual fines by the DWP water police and, sticker shock utility bills.

The DWP has some long term “plans” to reduce our dependency on ‘imported’ water.

Conserve water by better practices, capture rainwater instead of letting it run to the sea, repair our dams, install water meters in all residential units, and clean and recycle our water at the Tillman Plant in Van Nuys, derisively known as toilet to tap. If these measures are put into effect the DWP expects to handle all future population growth to the year 2030 without importing any additional water.

The real problem is the DWP itself and political meddling from the City. These ideas are not rocket science or new, in fact I can’t remember a time when they weren’t proffered as solutions.

Read more from City Watch by clicking here.

March 17, 2009 · Filed Under LA DWP

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LADWP looks at purchasing 100 more acres of Inyo County land; residents want the property to be used for private development & homes

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 6, 2008 at 7:55 am

From the Inyo Register:

With 4 percent of Inyo County’s land in the hands of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, a move by the utility to purchase even more property has ruffled the feathers of some Southern Inyo residents.

The LADWP is looking at 100 acres of land in the Oak Creek area of Independence, but several citizens have said they would like to see the property, which is in a residential zone, used for private development and homes that would help sustain the local economy.

Those individuals have banded together and, armed with a petition, hope to convince the Inyo County Board of Supervisors, LADWP and the public in general that the parcels are best suited for residential use.

“DWP owns over 250,000 acres in Inyo County, constituting almost four percent of its land and water surface. However, looking specifically at Owens Valley from Lake Crowley to Haiwee Reservoir (approximately 100 miles in length and an average of 15 miles wide), DWP can be said to own approximately 25 percent of the valley floor,” the petition states. “It is also well known that the percentage of private ownership in Inyo County is extremely low, less than one-half of what DWP possesses.”

The LADWP is not in the real estate business, but it does have an obligation to provide enough water to quench the growing thirst of Los Angeles. To do that, the utility needs property and water rights.
“If we have an offer made to us, which is what happened here, the city has an obligation to look into it,” said LADWP Public Relations Manager Chris Plakos. “We’re not in the business of buying property, and we haven’t been for a number of years.”

Read more from the Inyo Register by clicking here.

December 6, 2008 · Filed Under LA DWP, Owens Valley & Mono Lake

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LADWP customers cut water use, but more conservation is needed

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 3, 2008 at 6:29 am

From the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, this press release:

Despite record temperatures and no rainfall during the month of October, Los Angeles residents continued cutting back on their water use last month according to the most recent data available from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, making October the 15th consecutive month of reduced water use for single family residential customers. So far this year, residents living in single-family homes have cut their water use by 7% over the prior year. In addition, October 2008 water use in single-family homes was the lowest recorded since 2002 – a significant achievement considering that there was no rainfall for the month and L.A. had the highest recorded average high temperature of 85.4 degrees for an October since 1906 and our population has grown of 6% since 2002.

Other customer categories also saw significant declines in water use. Government customers have cut water use by 11.4% so far this year. The commercial sector also saw a decline of 5.4% while residents of multi-family apartments cut their use by 4.3%. Overall use in the city is down 5.1% for the year. Only industrial customers have used more water than the prior year with their use up almost 22%.

“Angelenos are getting the picture and we are clearly heading in the right direction, but we must remain vigilant and do even more to reduce our water use. We remain in a drought and as the rainy season approaches, we cannot be lulled into a false sense of security. Our water supplies have been cut and each of us must do our part to cut our own use even further,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “I’ have faith that we will reach our goal of 10% with just a little more effort by doing simple things like turning off sprinklers when it rains, cutting outdoor watering to just one or two days during the winter and fixing all leaks around the house and yard.

The positive trend in water conservation reverses an alarming increase in water use seen in the months prior to the Mayor’s call for conservation on June 16, 2007. At that time, water use spiked in April and May, by 19.3% and 20.7% respectively, for the months prior to the call to conserve.

The Mayor cited numerous reasons for the drop, including increased awareness of the municipal Water Conservation Ordinance that was strengthened in August allowing members of the LADWP Water Conservation Team to cite persons or businesses who violate the city’s Prohibited Water Use Ordinance. Since September when the team began enforcement, 1,388 complaints have been investigated, resulting in 558 citations being issued for such prohibitions as watering between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., watering down hard surfaces like driveways and sidewalks, allowing excess water to flow into the street and other violations.

The City has also placed a much greater emphasis on conserving water at city-owned facilities. LADWP personnel have met with the City’s major departments to educate them about ways to save water and is tracking the water use of all City departments against and established baseline. The LADWP has also audited over 300 city facilities, identifying ways to save additional water in the future through the installation of low-flow and waterless urinals, toilets and faucet aerators.

Both residents and visitors of Los Angeles are also learning of the city’s water challenges through different means. Many restaurant patrons now see LADWP table tent cards reminding them that they must first ask for a glass of water before being served one. Automatic serving of water is prohibited under the Water Ordinance. The department supplied nearly 1,000 hotels and motels with towel rack hangers asking patrons to resuse linens. Soon, the LADWP water conservation message will also be seen in signage on the department vehicles that service every part of the city.

“Water conservation is here to stay, whether the rains come or not,” said David Nahai, CEO and general manager of the LADWP. “There are no more rivers to tap or aqueducts to build from hundreds of miles away. The way we’re going to meet our needs in the future is through conservation and recycling. We will never let up in our efforts to communicate this important fact to our customers.”

In May, the Mayor and Nahai announced a far-reaching 20-year water strategy for Los Angeles to meet 100% of new water demand that included a six-fold increase in water recycling, including expansion of the “purple pipe” system (distributing water for irrigation and industrial uses) and development of new treatement facilities to replenish groundwater with treated and purified wastewater.

December 3, 2008 · Filed Under Conservation, LA DWP

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Inyo County Board of Supervisors hears Great Basin’s side of the Owens Lake saga

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 22, 2008 at 6:25 am

From the Inyo Register:

Top county officials dove into the details of dust mitigation at Owens Lake this week in response to concerns by local citizens, elected officials and business owners that water is possibly being over-used to control air pollution at the site.

A presentation to the Inyo County Board of Supervisors was scheduled for Tuesday at the request of the local Agriculture Resources Control Board to provide leaders with facts and figures related to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s dust mitigation project. Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District Officer Ted Schade delivered the presentation.

Specific concerns about the project’s use of ponds to keep the dry lake bed wet enough to control dust had been brought to the forefront by Inyo County Agricultural Commissioner George Milovich at the urging of the Agriculture Resource Advisory Board, which recently toured the Owens Lake as part of its interest in ensuring more water than necessary is not diverted from agricultural purposes.

Schade told the supervisors that it is not the responsibility of his agency to tell LADWP how to fix the problem, but to tell them where to mitigate and what measures work effectively. Schade added that since LADWP is in the water business, it has preferred to use water for much of the mitigation project, and it is also the most cost effective for LADWP, compared to managed vegetation or blanketing problem areas with gravel.

This article gives lots of interesting details on the Owens Lake dust mitigation project. Check it out from the Inyo Register by clicking here.

November 22, 2008 · Filed Under LA DWP, Owens Valley & Mono Lake

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Head of DWP spotlights city’s greener policies at Eastern California climate change conference

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 11, 2008 at 5:53 am

From the Inyo Register:

The man in charge of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power explained to an audience in Bishop his and his company’s position on energy and water conservation and its dedication to limiting further greehouse gas emissions.

David Nahai, CEO and general manager for LADWP, was one of the keynote speakers for this week’s conference on climate change, “Climate. Ecosystems and Resources in Eastern California” or CEREC.
Prior to addressing the near-capacity crowd at the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall Thursday night, Nahai noted that “no other energy company in the world is doing more to redirect their approach toward utilizing Renewable Power Sources (RPS).” He also said that climate change and global warming from man-made greenhouse gases is obvious and something any rational person would admit to as real.

Nahai was invited to the CEREC to present LADWP’s visions for dealing with climate change in a talk titled, “Looking to the Future: A Climate Strategy for LADWP.”

Nahai was introduced by Geoff McQuilken, executive director for the Mono Lake Committee. McQuilken began by expressing his relief that someone in Nahai’s position has such proactive views on climate change and looked forward to working with him. He said Nahai was also asked to speak because “climate change plays such a big role in water supplies.”

McQuilken also spoke of Nahai’s impressive resume that included a Master’s degree in Economics from UC Berkeley and his stint as a senior member of the L.A. Water Quality Control Board. He added that Nahai had only been in the driver’s seat of one of the largest power companies in the world for a year, then McQuilken shook Nahai’s hand and gazed out into the audience, some of whom have openly expressed their discontent with DWP policy, and said to Nahai, “Welcome, and good luck.”

Read more from the Inyo Register by clicking here.

November 11, 2008 · Filed Under Climate change & water supply, LA DWP

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Water conservation and environmental stewardship earn LADWP Platinum Award from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 27, 2008 at 5:57 am

Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies honor Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for water conservation, 20-year water strategy and Lower Owens River Project

From the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, this press release:

Water conservation achievements, the development of a 20-year water strategy for Los Angeles and the restoration of the Lower Owens River in the Eastern Sierra — three major water inititatives of the Department of Water and Power — earned it the 2008 Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) Platinum Award for 2008, AMWA announced today at its annual convention in New Orleans.

The award stated: “Through an effective water conservation program, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has maintained the same level of city water use provided 25 years ago despite a propulation increase of one million people. It also developed a blueprint for meeting the city’s future water needs solely through water recycling and conservation. The utility exercises environmental stewardship through implementation of the Lower Owens River Project, one of the world’s largest river ecosystem restoration projects.”

“We could not be more pleased with this award as it validates the visionary thinking, hard work and dedication that defines water resource management at the LADWP,” said CEO and General Manager David Nahai. “L.A.’s water future depends on our ability to adopt an ethic of sustainability and we are making every effort to achieve this goal. This award is a testament to the dedicated staff of our water system who work day and night year-round to provide the highest quality tap water to four million Angelenos.”

Read more

October 27, 2008 · Filed Under LA DWP

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LADWP floats hydro-electric plant idea for Tinnemaha Reservoir

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 26, 2008 at 7:42 am

From Bishop’s Inyo Register:

“Going green” seems to be a way of life for many, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has jumped on the band wagon, hoping to use its water resources here in the Owens Valley to begin producing cleaner, renewable energy.

The LADWP is taking the first steps towards a greener future by considering construction of a new hydro-electric plant on Tinnemaha Reservoir. Though these first steps are small ones, and the end result is more than a few years off, the Southern California utility is hoping to rely more on renewable energy in coming years. According to a federal notice seeking comment on the proposed project, the new renewable energy facility will include a 215-foot-long, eight-footwide steel penstock, a powerhouse containing one 1.2 megawatt generating unit, a one-mile long transmission line connecting to an existing power line and four related facilities.

If the hydro-electric plant is constructed as proposed, it will generate approximately five GWh of energy. The daily output of 1.2 megawatts is enough energy to power approximately 212 average homes.
That power would be sold to local utility companies.

“This is not like anything imminent,” said LADWP Public Information Officer Chris Plakos. “There has been a filing to get the project on record, but it will be maybe 10 years before anything physical gets moving out there.”

Read more from the Inyo Register by clicking here.

August 26, 2008 · Filed Under LA DWP

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Stricter limits placed on Los Angeles water usage

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 15, 2008 at 7:50 am

From Fox News LA:

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today signed into law a revised city ordinance that limits how and when Angelenos can use water outdoors and imposes water restrictions on restaurants and hotels.

Residents are now prohibited from watering their lawns between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., and from watering more than 15 minutes a day.

The previous ordinance, passed in 1990, banned outdoor watering between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. from April 1 to Sept. 30 and between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. from Oct. 1 to March 31.

“L.A.’s future depends on our willingness to adopt an ethic of conservation. These first steps represent the beginning of our march toward sustainability and success,” Villaraigosa said.

Read more from Fox 11 News LA by clicking here.

August 15, 2008 · Filed Under Conservation, LA DWP

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Los Angeles doubles fines for residents who waste water

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 14, 2008 at 4:18 pm

From the Los Angeles Times:

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed an ordinance today that doubles fines for residents who repeatedly violate the city’s “drought buster” rules, including a reworked ban on watering lawns between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The measure will bar restaurants from serving water to customers unless it is specifically requested. And it will quadruple fines for large customers of the Department of Water and Power, mainly businesses, that break the city’s water-waster law.

“L.A.’s future depends on our citizens to adopt an ethic of conservation,” said Villaraigosa, standing at a news conference outside California Pizza Kitchen in downtown Los Angeles.

The mayor’s anti-drought initiative comes as he tries to keep his top appointee at the utility, DWP Commission President Nick Patsaouras, from quitting his post.

Patsaouras, perhaps the utility’s most aggressive watchdog on spending issues, could not immediately be reached for comment. But Villaraigosa said his appointee had repeatedly talked about leaving the DWP — and the fact that he is “overworked.”

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

August 14, 2008 · Filed Under Conservation, LA DWP

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Los Angeles water restrictions in effect today

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 14, 2008 at 8:18 am

From KABC-7:

One of toughest water restrictions in the nation is about to become the law of the land in Los Angeles. The penalty is stiff if you violate it. It’s called the “Drought-Buster” plan.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to sign this new water-usage ordinance into law Thursday, which means more than a million DWP customers in Los Angeles will soon have to change their habits when it comes to watering their lawns, washing their cars, and even ordering water to drink at restaurants.

At Paty’s Restaurant in Toluca Lake, workers are not looking forward to the new water usage law, which says give a customer a glass of water without asking — face a fine.

“We have enough things to worry about keeping business going and making sure we give good service, and now we have to worry about asking people if they want water,” said Bob Greene, manager of Paty’s Restaurant.

The Department of Water and Power says the new requirement is part of a 20-year water conservation plan introduced by the city of Los Angeles. In 10 days, restaurants will no longer be able to serve water without a customer requesting it.

Get the rest of the story from KABC Channel 7 by clicking here.

Aqua Blog Maven rant (stepping up to the soap box): This story was posted this morning, and already there is one commenter whining that this another “nanny law”. I don’t know why these regulations aren’t permanent, and haven’t been permanent for years. For instance, out of my family of four, I am the only one who drinks the water brought to me by the restaurant. And it’s not just the water in the glass; it’s also the water used to wash the glass. Most people I eat with don’t drink the water, either. The restaurant owner has the wrong attitude: think of the power and water saved by not having to wash the glasses that nobody drank out of, and the labor of not having to deliver water to the table upon arrival.

Heck, he could make MORE money if he sends the cocktail waitress out first! When I walk into a restaurant, she’s the first one I want to see anyway.

Anyone who washes their car with an open hose deserves a bonehead award, in my opinion. And why does anyone water their lawn during the middle of the day? And would we all die if, when staying in a hotel room for more than a day, we actually used the same towel for two days in a row? Does anyone at home change their sheets every day? I’ll bet you’ll hear no complaints from the hotel owners on this one – I’m sure they have longed since figured out that less dirty linens means less power, water, and labor costs. (Note to hotel owners: please install more towel racks in your bathrooms!)

There’s algae growing in my gutter and in gutters all over town, and I think it’s shameful.

Why aren’t these water restrictions in effect all the time?

My parents live in Reno. They have dealt with water restrictions for at least ten years. They can only water two days a week, depending upon the last digit of the address. Residents water Wednesdays and Saturdays, or Tuesdays and Sundays, depending upon whether it’s odd or even. Businesses water on Mondays and Thursdays. Everybody knows it. No algae in the gutters there. Water rates are based on actual usage, and in a city where water bills can be well over $100 a month, evidence of drought-tolerant landscaping is everywhere.

It’s time to smell the double-latte and wake up to the ‘new’ reality that conserving water needs to become a way of life.

OK, off my soapbox, there’s more posting to do.

August 14, 2008 · Filed Under Conservation, LA DWP

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Water talks surface for Inyo County & L.A. DWP

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 12, 2008 at 6:24 am

From Bishop’s Inyo Register, news that the Inyo County and Los Angeles DWP officials will be meeting to discuss DWP’s plans for groundwater pumping and hear updates on ongoing projects:

The Standing Committee will discuss the 2008-2009 Operations Plan for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in the Owens Valley.

The Inyo-L.A. Long Term Water Agreement provides that the LADWP prepare and present a draft Operations Plan to the county and allow staff to provide comments. From there the Operations Plan is turned over to the technical group, which will attempt to resolve any concerns on the part of the county and return the plan to the LADWP to make the appropriate revisions and implement the plan.

The Inyo County Water Department has already reviewed the draft plan and provided comments to the LADWP. “The department’s analysis found that both the draft and final Operations Plans are consistent with the interim management plan and water agreement,” Inyo County Administrative Officer Kevin Carunchio said in his department report.

This year’s LADWP Operations Plan forecasts that runoff will be 86 percent of normal for the Owens Valley from April 2008 through March 2008. The plan further forecasts that the LADWP will be pumping 66,800 square feet of water during the same time period.

This is the first time in several years that Inyo County has utilized the Drought Recovery Policy that provides for the Standing Committee to establish an annual operations plan. In the past Operations Plans have been approved as described in the Water Agreement,” Carunchio said.

The Standing Committee will also be discussing the possibility of pumping groundwater from beneath Owens Lake bed to mitigate the dust problem.

Read more from the Inyo Register by clicking here.

August 12, 2008 · Filed Under LA DWP, Owens Valley & Mono Lake

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DWP water waste crackdown plan gets L.A. City Council panel’s OK; Fines would be boosted for residents or businesses repeatedly caught wasting water

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 6, 2008 at 8:00 am

From the Los Angeles Times:

A key committee of the Los Angeles City Council voted today to approve Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s new crackdown on excessive water usage, doubling fines for residents and quadrupling them for businesses.

The “drought busters” plan crafted by the Department of Water and Power seeks to punish residents who water their lawns between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., car owners who wash their cars without “shut-off devices” on their hoses and restaurants that serve water without being asked.

DWP General Manager H. David Nahai had originally urged the council to approve the plan before the start of summer in June. Because of questions from the council’s Energy and the Environment Committee over the last few weeks, the plan won’t likely go into effect until September.

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

August 6, 2008 · Filed Under Conservation, LA DWP

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L.A. fiddles around while Long Beach breaks records for water conservation

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 9, 2008 at 7:46 am

From Ron Kaye LA Blog:

Did you hear the one about the top L.A. water official who wants you to drink toilet water and personally uses twice as much as the average guy?

Not funny? How’s this: The head of the Long Beach water agency uses one-sixth as much water for his family of five as David Nahai, the head of L.A.’s DWP, does for his family of five.

I’m dying out here trying to get a laugh.

So not only does Long Beach water chief Kevin Wattier conserve himself but he’s got the whole town doing it. Water consumption in Long Beach in June was at a 10-year-low for that month. It was 5.7 percent lower than any in June in a decade, 10.5 percent below the 10-year average and for that last 12 months Long Beach is using 7 percent less water than the average of the last 10 years.

Now that’s funny, you got to admit. Especially when you know L.A.’s water use is just about at the average of recent years — 2.4 percent lower than last year but 20.5 percent higher than two years ago.

So next time you hear the mayor, your City Council member or David Nahai talk about how “green” they are, you can laugh in their face certain in the knowledge that they are hypocrites and deceivers.

It’s Long Beach that’s green and every water official knows why. Kevin Wattier didn’t talk about conserving water, he did something about it — last September — when he figured out that California is facing a water crisis. Demand exceeds supply and it’s not a temporary problem. “We’re really in trouble,” Wattier told me. “We need to make permanent lifestyle changes. Everybody in Southern California needs to permanently reduce their water use. We’re at the tipping point and we need to face reality.”

Read the rest of Ron Kaye’s article by clicking here.

July 9, 2008 · Filed Under Conservation, LA DWP, Long Beach Water Department

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Confessions and manipulations of Nahai, the water-waster

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 27, 2008 at 6:51 am

From the Los Angeles Daily News, this editorial:

Auditors of the spacious spread owned by H. David Nahai on Beverly Hills-adjacent Deep Canyon Drive found that the general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is one of those very water-wasters that the city is, under his own leadership, cracking down on.

In fact, Nahai’s lawn is so overwatered by sprinklers that it’s sitting in a foot of subsurface moisture.

Those were the revelations that Nahai made to the Daily News in a story this week. In that story, Nahai acted contrite – and seemed ready to take action to trim his average $232 monthly water bill.

It was embarrassing for Nahai, to be sure. And it reinforced the belief by many that Los Angeles’ leaders regularly engage in hypocrisy. Here was the man scolding Angelenos for using too much water caught in the wasteful act himself.

But shouldn’t Nahai be forgiven for generously opening his home and his water usage to the public – a commitment to model good conservationist behavior? Certainly, if that were the whole story.

Yes, apparently annoyed by a reporter (Alan Mittelstaedt) who was pestering him to release his water bills, pursuant to legal requirements, Nahai decided to take his water bills to another reporter instead. It also tends to show that Nahai only did the right thing only after being exposed as a water waster. But that’s not the only issue, says this editorial:

Besides, the real problem is not so much that Nahai runs a wasteful home, but that he runs a wasteful utility. If Nahai is willing to sidestep legitimate requests for information and manipulate the public on a simple question of his water bill, imagine what he might do to sidestep legitimate requests on the DWP’s proposed expansion, future rate increases and capital improvement construction.

Read the full text of this editorial from the Los Angeles Daily News by clicking here.

David over at Westchester Kids charts Nahai’s use against other city council members:

The average per person water consumption of LADWP customers is 56,576 gallons per year or 163,000 gallons for the average 3 person household.

* H. David Nahai (DWP General Manager) – 434,220
(a staggering 310% times more than my household!!)
* Rocky Delgadillo (City attorney) – 423,368 gallons
* Mayor Villaraigosa – 386,716 gallons
* Jack Weiss – 254,320 gallons
* Bill Rosendahl – 230,384 gallons
* Tony Cardenas – 219,912 gallons
* Greig Smith – 219,164 gallons
* Dennis Zine – 194,480 gallons
* Wendy Gruel – 190,740 gallons
* Jose Huizar – 142,120 gallons
* Eric Garcetti – 88,264 gallons
* Janice Hahn – 83,776 gallons
* Bernard Parks – 35,156 gallons
Mayor Villaraigosa should be happy to hear that once Nahai goes through the twelve step program gets his water use under control, the mayor and his planning commissioners will be able to entitle that water to downtown developers for another 8 housing units and keep us trapped in a cycle of perpetual water shortages.

More from Westchester Kids blog by clicking here.

June 27, 2008 · Filed Under LA DWP

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Los Angeles DWP suit alleges Colorado firm overbilled for Owens Lake work

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 25, 2008 at 7:07 am

From the Los Angeles Times:

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against a Colorado-based construction and engineering firm, accusing it of overbilling the utility over a seven-year period.

The lawsuit alleged that the Englewood-based company conspired to defraud the DWP by preparing and approving numerous invoices that “artificially inflated the value of the work performed by CH2M Hill and its subcontractors.”

The lawsuit comes one year after an audit commissioned by the DWP concluded that CH2M Hill had overbilled the municipal utility by as much as $4.5 million.

Although the lawsuit does not say how much the city believes it is owed by CH2M Hill, DWP General Manager H. David Nahai said his agency would seek at least $13.5 million, plus punitive damages and $10,000 for each allegedly false claim submitted by the company. “This lawsuit doesn’t specify a number because it’s possible that by the time that other damages are added, the number could be much larger” than the original amount that was overcharged, Nahai said.

CH2M Hill received contracts worth $106 million since 1998 to control dust on the dry bed of Owens Lake, which is about 200 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

A spokesman for CH2M Hill said he had not seen the lawsuit, but denied the allegations of fraud. “We did what we believe, and what others believe, was good work for the city,” said Martin Nicholson, CH2M Hill’s regional manager for the Southwest region. “We stand behind that work.”

Read the rest of this story from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

June 25, 2008 · Filed Under LA DWP, Owens Valley & Mono Lake

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