Guest Opinion
Water conservation a must
By John Mundy General manager, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District

The recent news relative to water supplies for Southern California has not been good. This past winter, just 29 percent of the normal annual precipitation fell across our state. More recently, environmental and legal issues have curtailed the pumping of water from northern California to the south at a time when the pumps are normally running at or near capacity. In addition, the fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta could fail at anytime, interrupting the delicate "plumbing system" that conveys water to our region.

To meet demand this summer, water suppliers are making "withdrawals" from the state's "water bank" of reservoirs and underground storage facilities. Across California, requests are being made by utilities for conservation, because the water we save this year may well be water we need next year, particularly if we experience another dry winter.

But there's more to our water supply than just rainfall and aqueducts. Government policies play a key role in our water future. Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) is joining the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and utilities across the state to express support for a Comprehensive Water Package that includes conservation, water storage, a sustainable Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and a "fail safe" conveyance system that makes the best use of the state's limited water resources.

Desalination may be part of our water future but high costs and environmental concerns currently pose formidable barriers to its widespread adoption.

LVMWD is 100 percent dependent on water delivered through the State Water Project. In addition to extensive conservation efforts, our customers have supported this district's development of recycled water as a resource that reduces our need for imported water by 20 percent. We're proud of those accomplishments but we, and the rest of California, can and must do more.

As a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, we believe it is in the best interests of all Californians to maximize the opportunities for efficient water use as we face the challenges of a state population approaching 40 million and the uncertainties posed by climate changes.

In 2005, ACWA created "No Time to Waste: A Blueprint for California Water" (available at www.acwa.com). That document remains a statewide "call to action" that must not be ignored. The safety, security and economic vitality of our state depends on the adoption of a proactive Comprehensive Water Package as soon as possible.

As a concerned water consumer, we ask that you consider expressing your support for this package to Gov. Schwarzenegger, Sen. Kuehl and Assemblymember Brownley.