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During the July 26 meeting of the West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) Board of Directors, the Board moved to activate its Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) and declare water shortage level one for the service area representing nearly one million people in 17 cities and unincorporated areas in Los Angeles County.
By initiating shortage level one of the WSCP the District will be able to implement targeted shortage response actions that encourage voluntary reductions in water use.
“The Board action today will increase awareness of the importance of water use efficiency and conservation as a way of life,” said Board President Harold C. Williams, MSCE, P.E. “Even though our
current Urban Water Management Plan shows that West Basin water resources are reliable for the next 25 years, even in multi-year droughts, there is a sustained need to use water wisely considering our naturally arid and changing climate conditions. Water-saving actions today will help to alleviate demand and stress on our current water supply reserves.”
West Basin’s WSCP includes six standard water shortage levels, corresponding to increasingly severe shortage conditions as compared to normal reliability conditions. Each level aligns with specific response actions that West Basin can implement to address and resolve any current or expected supply-demand gaps created by the associated water shortage. At present, West Basin is not implementing mandatory water use reductions or rationing.
The 2021 WSCP is online at www.westbasin.org/drought.
