Despite Drought, South Coast’s Water Supply Steady

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By Sonia Fernandez, Noozhawk Staff Writer

Los Angeles may have mandatory curbs on water usage, but most Santa Barbara County agencies say local reductions not yet imminent

Summer’s nearly here, and for many water agencies across California, that means turning a wary eye to the state’s water supplies. As the arid weather of summer takes hold, so do concerns about drought, water supply and more wildfires. The Sierra snowpack, much of the South Coast’s water source from the State Water Project, melted early and fast, and environmental regulations in the Sacramento delta have restricted allocations.

On June 1, the Metropolitan Water District clamped down on water usage with mandatory rationing and a new water pricing structure for Los Angeles. Residents of the metropolis must limit watering of their yards to Mondays and Thursdays. Shortage-year rates have gone into effect, reducing customers’ allocations by 15 percent and charging additional fees for water used over that limit.

The South Coast is no stranger to water shortages. In the late 1980s and early ‘90s, a severe drought caused residents to live with the same kind of restrictions and more. However, it seems that most of the water agencies on the South Coast are not yet considering the hard-line stance Los Angeles has adopted.

“We are actually pretty different,” said Alison Jordan, water conservation coordinator for the city of Santa Barbara. “We have fairly different water supplies than most of the rest of Southern California.

“Although the South Coast bought into State Water, along with many other communities in Central and Southern California, the region also has water from Lake Cachuma, Gibraltar Dam and underground aquifers.”

While this area typically tends to feel the effects of a drought more quickly than Southern California, said Jordan, this is not the case now. Lake Cachuma is the South Coast’s main source of water, she said, while State Water is the primary source of water for counties further south. Cachuma spilled in January 2008, thanks to a higher-than-average rainfall during that rainy season. The lake, said Jordan, is still at 80 percent of capacity.

“We don’t go into planning to have rationing and drought mode until two or three years out from a spill,’’ she explained.

Nevertheless, water agencies in the area are still pushing aggressively for conservation, each within their own jurisdictions and participating in a regional program.

“The Goleta Water District is certainly very encouraging of conservation efforts,” said Lauren Hanson, a GWD board member. “We’re continuing to put out information in our newsletter and on our Web site about ways that people can conserve.”

Santa Barbara and the Goleta Water District are offering rebates toward the cost of installing efficient irrigation equipment and water-wise plants in their Smart Landscape Rebate program. Up to 50 percent of any combination of irrigation equipment and planting costs may qualify for a one-time rebate of up to $1,000. The program covers approved irrigation equipment, water-wise plants, mulch and smart irrigation controllers.

Ratepayers are encouraged to make appointments and contact their local water district for more information.

While the Carpinteria Valley Water District recently raised its rates, it was not a measure to push for conservation. The agency’s decision was an attempt to address budget issues incurred by water treatment costs, aging facilities and a debt created by purchasing excess State Water without being able to sell it. The excess State Water, while a financial burden, buffers Carpinteria from drought, according to Rhonda Gutierrez, the district’s engineering technician/water conservation specialist.

“We’re just encouraging our users to be more efficient with the water they use,” she said. The Carpinteria district is also participating in the landscape rebate.

Encouraging water conservation through pricing might work easily enough for the more middle-class areas of the South Coast, where people are willing to save water to pinch a penny, but it could present a challenge for more affluent neighborhoods, where residents are willing to pay higher fees to be able to maintain lush lawns — places such as Hope Ranch and Montecito.

The Montecito Water District did not return several calls for comment, although in August the agency adopted tiered rates for the purpose of saving water.

Mike Alvarado, general manager of La Cumbre Mutual Water District, which supplies Hope Ranch, said his agency recently took on the tiered rate structure, which charges users depending on their usage, because falling State Water allocations demanded conservation.

But it’s still too early to tell whether the method will work, he said.

“We just started in May and we won’t bill again till the end of this month,” he said.

Click here for information on how to cut water usage.

— Noozhawk staff writer Sonia Fernandez can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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