LET'S TALK WATER

The day after Christmas, 2013, my son, visiting from college, asked to go wakeboarding.  We drove to Lake Kaweah where we dropped the boat in the water and Ed got to practice some of his wakeboarding skills.  (Yes, it was cold and he was wearing a wetsuit.)  As I drove the boat around the lake, not only was I impressed by how low the water level was, but I had a clear view of the Sierras and was astonished to observe that there was no snow in the mountains.

From January through March 2014, the Visalia city council mulled over its options regarding local water restrictions due to the current drought.  Drought conditions in our valley are not new, particularly since at one time this was an arid desert area before the advent of modern irrigation techniques.

The city has had mandatory stage 3 water restrictions since 1991 due to water consumption concerns.  The upcoming upgrade of the water conservation plant (sewer) will including installing purple piping under the freeway so that recycled water will be used to irrigate Plaza Park and the municipal golf course, as well as over 800 acres of farmland which the city owns by the plant.  Thousands of acre feet of recycled water will also be exchanged with the Tulare Irrigation District for fresh water coming from the east, to replenish Visalia’s aquifer.  Stage 4 restrictions, now implemented, will be even more stringent, but will be doable, and will further conserve our water supply and groundwater levels.

I recently came across an interesting article by Paul Rogers of the San Jose Mercury News, and hereafter quote portions of the same.  Fourteen months into an historic drought, with reservoirs running low and the Sierra snow pack 27% of normal, many Californians are wondering: why isn’t everyone being forced to ration?  Governor Jerry Brown has asked for a 20% voluntary reduction in water usage by Californians, and has indicated that depending on the rains we get in January, February and March, he may go beyond those voluntary cutbacks.

While three utilities provide 80% of Californians’ electricity, there are roughly three thousand water providers statewide, all with different rules, political realities and needs.  But all of their bottom lines depend on selling water, not conserving.

A few communities have embraced strict rules.  On January 28, the St. Helena City Council ordered mandatory rationing, limiting each house to 65 gallons a person per day, one-third of the state average, with severe monetary fines for usage above that limit.  Within two weeks, city water use fell 33%.  On the other hand, most bay area residents only have ten percent voluntary restrictions in place.

Continuing to quote from Mr. Rogers’ article, there are several keys reasons why mandatory rationing is rare.  First, most big urban districts are in better shape now than during the last major drought from 1987 to 1992.  They have increased conservation and supplies.  Second, when people use less, agencies’ revenues drop.  People say “What!  You made us conserve and now you’re raising the rates?!”  Third, enforcing mandatory rationing is a political nightmare.  Almost any plan will spur objections, particularly by people who complain that they’ve already been efficient all along and they’re having a harder time meeting new lower targets than their water-wasting neighbors.  Finally, many water agencies are still hoping that new storms in February, March and April might bail them out, along with voluntary measures.

Farmers use eighty percent of the water that people consume in California, yet there are no state laws regulating ground water pumping, so it’s not clear what would happen if the Governor tried to order farms to cut back.  Private companies would almost certainly demand taxpayers bail them out if they were ordered to sell less water, just as a car dealer would if the government ordered him to sell fewer cars.  A law professor at Stanford University observed that “the lawsuits would last longer than the drought.”

Against this background, the Visalia city council asks that our local citizens use less water, and be a part of the solution.  Water usage in Visalia has dropped dramatically in response to past conservation efforts and we applaud our citizens for being conservation minded.  And “thank you” to those of all faiths who continue to pray for more rain.

P.S.  You may have noticed a change to your local monthly utility bills.  Cal Water previously billed our citizens for water, while the city piggybacked the same bill, invoicing for city sewer, storm drain and garbage services.  However, effective January 1, 2014, Cal Water discontinued allowing the city to co-bill.  Accordingly, you will now receive one bill for water usage from Cal Water, while you will receive a separate bill from the city for the other  utilities.  This will not affect the amounts our citizens pay, other than you’ll now need to write two checks rather than one per month.