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With the extremely dry conditions facing the state, it was just a matter of time before Southern California’s largest wholesale water provider joined in the call to maximize conservation and declare a Drought Emergency.
Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors on Tuesday adopted a resolution that calls on member agencies to “review the adequacy of their drought response measures” and to immediately implement conservation requirements to reduce their usage of State Water Project supplies.
“We need immediate action to preserve and stretch our limited State Water Project supplies,” board Chairwoman Gloria D. Gray said in a statement. “Southern California on average gets about one-third of its water from Northern California via the state project. Next year, we’ll be lucky to get a small fraction of that.”
The California Department of Water Resources has indicated its initial SWP allocation next month will be zero. And if drought conditions continue, the state could do something it has never done before – provide only enough water as deemed necessary to protect the health and safety of Californians.
“We’re reaching uncharted territory here and we need all Southern Californians to be part of the solution,” Metropolitan General Manager Adel Hagekhalil said. “We need everyone to take action to reduce their water use immediately. This drought emergency declaration helps us all move in the same direction.”
Instead of relying on State Water Project supply, Southern California agencies are being asked to turn to local supplies and Metropolitan’s stored water in the Colorado River system. However that may not be easy to do as the U.S. Department of the Interior declared the first-ever shortage for the Colorado River Basin in August.
“Our Colorado River supplies are finite as well – there is a drought on that system, too – so we need everyone to use water wisely. But the urgency now is on the State Water Project. That’s why we’re calling for increased conservation in those dependent areas,” Gray said.
In an effort to assist the region in saving water, the board also approved a series of measures to expand various rebate and water-efficiency programs.
MWD has approved an additional $5.5 million to install high-efficiency toilets in older apartment buildings; increase its turf replacement program rebate from $2 to $3 a square foot for public agencies; and provide an additional $1.5 million for its program to directly install water-efficient devices for income-qualified customers. In addition, the board approved a new $2.6 million grant program to help public agencies detect and repair leaks in their distribution systems.
