California site will let residents tattle on water wasters

The 27.3 percent reduction was recorded in a month which saw record high temperatures throughout the western US state, gripped by the fourth year of an unprecedented drought. Brown’s order is in effect through February, and the amount of water saved in June is about 15 percent of the statewide savings goal needed by early next year.

The conservation report highlighted water districts in Antelope Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Clara Valley and Yorba Linda for dramatically cutting their water usage. “This is significant, especially in light of the fact that June was really hot”. Agencies issued more than 9,500 penalties compared with about 1,900 in May.

On July 8, the Nevada City Council passed a resolution declaring a stage 3 water shortage warning, establishing mandatory water restrictions to conserve potable water in the city.

State officials warned that with several more dry months ahead this summer, water districts would have to keep up their conservation efforts.

And, storage is the most important measure of whether people and businesses get any relief, and the ability to use more water instead of adhering to the hard 25% guidelines.

The Peninsula’s Westborough Water District was one of the few Bay Area agencies that fell far short of its conservation goal, failing to produce any savings in June. Other water districts with a history of low water use must cut consumption by as little as 4%. Along with reaching conservation goals, data shows that water districts are increasing penalties on water-code violators. But many communities have objected to the requirements and some have filed lawsuits to block them, such as San Diego, which has gone to court but managed to meet its conservation goals anyway. “But if we are successful in working with the power plant and finding ways for them to cut back, we may be able to meet the 4 percent (conservation quota)”.

In the coming weeks, state regulators will review the conservation programs of communities missing their marks and will draft intervention plans for the worst performers.

The pace of savings eclipsed Gov. Jerry Brown’s call in an April 1 Executive Order for an overall 25 percent reduction in urban water use because of the historic drought persisting throughout California. “So water districts must be responsive, assuming they haven’t already taken action to close any shortfall from the benchmark”.

He added, however, that water agencies usually have to raise rates in droughts because not only do they sell less water, but they also have to spend more money on rebates, advertising and buying extra water.

But rather than starting to rake in the fines from these suppliers, state water board officials said during a press teleconference on Thursday that enforcement will begin by identifying and possibly modifying inadequate local conservation regulations.