Local water users fall short of mandates
Foothill Municipal Water District’s retail agencies collectively reduced their water use by about 20% in December, compared to December 2013, the benchmark used by the state for measuring conservation rates, according to a release issued Tuesday.
Most individual agencies, however, fell short of state-mandated targets set earlier this year. For example, customers of Valley Water Co. reduced water usage by 16%, less than half of 36% reductions they were asked to make by the State Water Resources Control Board.
Crescenta Valley Water District customers were given a mandated reduction of 24% from 2013 levels, and saved 23% this month, while Mesa Crest Water District customers saved only 10% — far from their 25% reduction requirement.
FMWD General Manager Nina Jazmadarian urged residents to plan for upcoming dry months by taking advantage of winter rain patterns now.
“Customers can prepare for the summer by installing cisterns and rain barrels to save stormwater,” Jazmadarian stated in the release.
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
