S.F. Calls for Water Rationing, Stiff Penalties for Waste

In the latest response to two consecutive years of dry winter weather, water officials here Wednesday called for strict water rationing for about 2 million Bay Area consumers, coupled with stiff penalties for those who exceed allotments.

Managers of the San Francisco Water Department proposed an across-the-board cut of 25% in water drawn from the massive Hetch Hetchy system. To make up for the loss in revenue resulting from decreased usage, officials have proposed a 33% increase in water rates.

The plan would affect residential and industrial customers in San Francisco and 30 other Bay Area cities and water districts that buy water from the city-owned Hetch Hetchy Reservoir on the Tuolumne River in Yosemite National Park.

Officials said they will propose a formula for San Francisco water users that will seek to limit individual monthly water consumption this summer to roughly the average amount used last winter. Winter consumption is typically far less than in summer.

Restaurants would be barred from serving water to customers except on request, decorative fountains would go dry, and drinkable water could not be used to clean sidewalks, patios or parking lots.

Although San Francisco cannot impose the same formula on the other cities that buy Hetch Hetchy water, the city can reduce the water allotment to other agencies, which in turn will be forced to pass on the cuts to consumers.

East Bay Protests

The rationing recommendation is scheduled for a vote by the city Public Utilities Commission on April 28, where it probably will meet opposition from the other cities that buy the water.

Protests already have been heard in the East Bay, where water officials last week proposed a similar water rationing system for 1.1 million customers of the East Bay Municipal Utility District, including such cities as Oakland and Berkeley.

The East Bay’s water comes from the Mokelumne River, which like the Tuolumne has its headwaters in the Sierra Nevada. The watersheds had a snowfall that was 20% to 40% lighter than normal last winter, the second straight winter of below average snowpack.

“We want to cut consumption by a minimum of 25% systemwide, more if we can,” said Bob Vasconcellos, manager of resources and planning for the San Francisco Water Department.

He said the department’s staff has not yet decided on the structure of fines that will be imposed for excessive water use, but said, “They’re going to be stiff.”

Penalties notwithstanding, water customers will be paying 33% more for the water they do use, even if their draw is within rationing limits. The added fees will ensure that the San Francisco water agency will not have to reduce its staff.

Some Work Delayed

In an effort to cut costs, managers of the Hetch Hetchy system said they will postpone some repairs and new construction on the system until after the drought eases.

Officials estimate that the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir will reach only two-thirds of its capacity by July 1, said Lawrence T. Klein, deputy general manager of the Hetch Hetchy project.

“Everybody is going into some sort of water cutback,” Klein said. “There is nothing that could happen this year that could have a significant impact on water in the mountains.”

Meanwhile in Madera County, the Board of Supervisors declared a state of emergency because of the lack of water.

The supervisors said the economy and quality of life in the county are threatened. The supervisors said they hope Gov. George Deukmejian will declare the county a disaster area so state aid can be made available to farmers and ranchers who will be affected by the water shortage.