Los Angeles Mayor Calls for 24/7 Water Conservation

The mayor wants to move Los Angeles to implementation of Phase III of the City's Water Conservation Ordinance, which will restrict outdoor irrigation to two days a week - on Mondays and Thursdays only.

"Water shortages are becoming permanent realities," the mayor said. "With new water-use prohibitions and shortage-year water rates in place, Los Angeles will continue to lead the state in water conservation and create a path for a more sustainable future."

Los Angeles is currently in Phase I of the Water Conservation Ordinance that prohibits wasteful practices such as watering during periods of rain, watering between the hours of 9 am to 4 pm, washing down sidewalks and driveways and allowing excess water to flood gutters and storm drains.

The mayor asked the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to approve shortage-year rates, which will lower customer water allocations according to a tiered pricing system.

This kind of lawn watering is no longer sustainable in Los Angeles. (Photo by Bruce Evans)

"The message is simple: if you save water, you will save money," Mayor Villaraigosa said.

Facing a third straight dry year, California faces significant water shortages this year. Statewide reservoir levels are their lowest since the 1976-78 drought and currently stand at only one-third of capacity.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the source of more than half of the city's water, has estimated that if statewide water conditions do not improve they will need to cut deliveries by 15 to 25 percent.

"Our water supplies have been cut and our snow pack in the Eastern Sierra is precariously low," said David Nahai, chief executive and general manager of the LA Department of Water and Power. "We are now in a situation where all of Los Angeles must be in a water conservation mode 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year round, rain or shine.

"Let the storm water soak your yards while saving our precious fresh water for drinking, showering and other necessities of life," he said.

In May of 2008, Mayor Villaraigosa rolled out a 20-year water strategy for Los Angeles that plans for enough water conservation and recycling measures to meet 100 percent of the city's water new water demand by 2030.

The mayor's water strategy includes a phased-in approach to water restrictions as well as the first real enforcement efforts since the 1990s. Today's announcement is an acceleration of these water restrictions.

On the technology side, the strategy shifts the city's focus from promoting efficient indoor plumbing to the outdoors, where Angelenos families use 30 to 40 percent of their water.

Angelenos have been responding to the mayor's call for conservation.

In 2008, commercial use was down four percent, single-family residential use was down 6.9 percent, and city government has led the way by reducing water consumption by 16 percent.

Mayor Villaraigosa today asked the Department of Water and Power to double the number of its water conservation team members and expand enforcement hours.

Since September when the DWP expanded its Water Conservation Team from six to 15 fulltime inspectors, the department has issued more than 1,400 citations.

The vast majority of violators who receive a warning comply immediately. The second and subsequent violations can result in fines ranging from $100 to $600.

DWP customers are encouraged to take advantage of the numerous rebates for water saving devices such as weather based irrigation controls, rotating sprinkler nozzles and synthetic turf. Information is available at www.bewaterwise.com.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2009. All rights reserved.