Reduced flow prompts local water budgeting

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California announced April 14 that the flow of water to member agencies will be cut 20 percent by July.

The MWD provides about half of the water districts in its six-county region with water from the Colorado River Aqueduct and the State Water Project in Northern California. Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and Calleguas Municipal Water District provide water to the Conejo Valley, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Oxnard and unincorporated areas in Ventura County.

Las Virgenes gets 100 percent of its water from the Metropolitan, compared to Calleguas which relies on the agency for 72 percent of its water.

Each member agency is complying with the allocation announcement differently. In Las Virgenes, the lower water flow will be handled by establishing "water budgets" for customers starting July 1.

Single-family residential customers will start each eightweek billing cycle with a base allotment of 16 billing units (nearly 12,000 gallons) for indoor use. An additional outdoor budget will be added based on lot size and whether the consumer is a residential or commercial user. While the indoor water budget will remain constant throughout the year, the outdoor allotment will vary according to wet and dry months.

John Mundy, LVMWD's general manager, said the budgets are an equitable way to manage the reduced amount of water flowing to the district.

"Customer water budgeting is the fairest method I know to help the district comply with its conservation targets," Mundy said in a statement. "A simple acrosstheboard cut of 20 percent would punish those who have already been conserving water and make it fairly easy for excess water users to cut back. The budget system is not based on historical use; rather, it takes into account human needs and the parcel size of the residential lot."

Multifamily residences will begin each two-month billing period with an indoor allotment of 12 billing units and, when warranted, an additional amount for outdoor use. Many multifamily condominiums and apartments irrigate outdoor areas from a separate service, Mundy said. Commercial properties and irrigation customers will be required to reduce their consumption by a fixed percentage.

Those who exceed the budget will be charged $3 for every extra 100 cubic feet, or 748 gallons, an official said. A typical 10-minute shower with an older shower head consumes about 40 gallons of water, according to online sources. The district recommends limiting showers to five minutes and installing low-flow shower heads, which use between two and four gallons of water per minute.

Jeff Reinhardt, the district's customer service and public affairs manager, said customers can obtain a free low-flow shower head by bringing in their older model.

The water district must also abide by a budget—or face penalties

"Just like our customers, the district has been given a targeted allotment of 19,323 acrefeet (by the MWD)," Mundy said. "If the allotment is exceeded, the charges for excess use are substantial."

If consumers use the same amount of water in 2009 as they did in 2008, the district will be fined $10 million, Mundy said. The fines would be passed on to customers.

Water budgets

do not allow more water for pools, spas or landscaping, and families that are already conserving water within the range for their parcel will not be asked to reduce further, Mundy said.

While officials believe some users will choose to pay the extra money for more water, the district has the ability to restrict water flow for noncompliance or completely shut off service for flagrant abusers.

"The biggest piece of the pie is outdoor use," said board member Charlie Caspary. He said the surcharges will make "believers" out of customers who consume more than their budget allows.

The water use of Westlake Village residents has given the city the dubious distinction of coming in second—Beverly Hills is first—for highest water consumption in Southern California, board member Joseph Bowman said.

He attributed the high water consumption to the prevalence of gated communities with strict landscaping rules.

Water use is also high in Morrison, Mountaingate and Hidden Hills, officials said. Several neighborhoods were identified as "middle of the road," including Old Agoura and First Neighborhood in Westlake Village.

The water district will mail the budget information to customers during the coming weeks.

"We want and need people to understand the program in order for it to succeed," Mundy said, adding that appeals of the budgeted amounts will be considered for a large number of people in a household, livestock, medical needs, the presence of a licensed child care or healthcare facility, or a change of use in a commercial property.

"Customers need to reevaluate how they use water and in some cases make difficult choices," Mundy said. "People must also keep in mind what might happen if the water shortage continues for another two or three years—individual allocations could be significantly reduced beyond their initial levels."