City Hall Is Biggest Drain on L.A.’s Supply of Water

As the fourth year of a statewide drought unfolds, Los Angeles’ biggest water user--the city government itself--is consuming more than ever, and two major city departments are violating an emergency water conservation law adopted two years ago.

Department of Water and Power records show that water use by city agencies has climbed by about 1.3%--or 104 million gallons of water a year--since 1986 when Mayor Tom Bradley first asked for the public’s help in reducing consumption.

Overall water use in Los Angeles has dropped by an estimated 4% to 8% during the same period, according to DWP figures.

A week ago, Mayor Bradley called on all citizens to increase their conservation to 10% compared to usage four years ago.

This week he sent a memo to all city departments telling officials that “it is the city of Los Angeles’ responsibility to set a good example for residents,” and he asked each of them to find ways to cut their usage by the same 10%.

The city government of Los Angeles is the largest water consumer in the region, but officials acknowledge that they do not have a handle on water use by the hundreds of city facilities. In response to a Times inquiry, it took five days for officials to determine how much water was being used by city departments.

DWP figures show that three departments--Recreation and Parks, the Housing Authority and DWP Power Generation--are individually ranked among the top 10 water users in the city, along with UCLA, Caltrans and Anheuser-Busch Inc.

Bradley and other city officials said cutting water use will be difficult for many city departments.

“Patterns are hard to break,” the mayor said.

Even the DWP’s own water division--which posted a 29% increase in its water consumption during the past three years--is unsure just how to cut use.

Officials said most of the water increase was for landscaping at a new filtration facility in the San Fernando Valley. “(During) the first year or two of this drought-tolerant landscaping, you need to apply a fair amount of water,” said Henry Venegas, assistant director of water engineering.

“Asking our employees to not go to the bathroom or not take a drink of water is not in the cards,” Venegas added.

Like the DWP, a number of city departments said their increased water consumption is the result of expansion of services, staff and facilities. And many agencies--such as the Recreation and Parks and General Services departments--have taken important steps to control their water use.

But the efforts of others appear to have fallen short.

For example, a Department of Airports official proudly explained that in response to Bradley’s call, the department is hosing down sidewalks once a week instead of three times a week.

However, it has been illegal to wash down sidewalks, parking lots or other hard surfaces in the city for the past two years. Under Phase 1 of the city’s emergency water conservation ordinance, it also is illegal to serve water in restaurants except on request, or to operate decorative fountains that do not recycle water.

“I didn’t understand that,” said Clifton Moore, executive director of the Department of Airports. “Well, then we’ll cut it down to zero.”

James Hadaway, general manager of the Recreation and Parks Department, said his crews have cut hosing of tennis and basketball courts from once a week to once a month. “We view it as a safety issue,” said Hadaway about the continued hosing in the face of the ban. “We don’t feel we are in violation.”

Officials at the DWP, which enforces the conservation ordinance, said they have not received any complaints about the two departments but have asked their staff to look into the matter. The law calls for sending warning letters to offenders for the first two violations, installation of a flow restricter for the third violation and discontinued service for a fourth violation. To date, no one has received more than a second warning letter.

The mayor and other city officials acknowledge that they do not know how much water is used by individual city facilities.

It would take weeks, officials said, to come up with water consumption figures for individual facilities.

Two years ago, the City Council ordered the chief administrative office to design a computer program to provide such information. Officials say it will take at least another year to finish the program.

When asked to comment on the situation, Mayor Bradley said this week, “They have a lot to do. Sometimes it takes an extra push.” Earlier this week, Bradley had asked Chief Administrative Officer Kieth Comrie to make the project “a top priority.”

Facilities managers told The Times that without that information they cannot gauge their consumption or the effectiveness of their conservation efforts.

“I don’t know that anyone knows how many water meters we have,” Recreation and Parks’ Hadaway said. “I’m serious.”

His department is one of those that have adopted water conservation measures, such as water sensors and high-technology irrigation systems.

The park department’s water usage has gone up by about 8% during the last three years, which Hadaway said is most likely because of new facilities.

At the Department of Airports, usage has gone up by 18.5%. Moore said it was probably because of an increase in business and the opening of a new terminal. Department records show that the number of passengers went up by just 8.9%. Moore said he could ask his engineers to explain the water use increase but it could take days or weeks to get an answer.

City departments showing a decrease in water use also have been unaware for years of their consumption levels.

The Bureau of Sanitation showed the biggest drop in use, according to DWP figures.

“Amazing,” said bureau Director Del Biagi when told that his department cut water use by 42% from fiscal 1986-87 to fiscal 1988-89.

“I have no idea why,” he said. “We’re not doing anything different that I know of. I can only assume they’ve moved the payment from our department to some other department. . . . I wish I had a great story to tell you.”

Despite the consumption increase, the city has taken steps to cut water use.

The General Services Department has installed low-flush valves on 2,572 toilets and 726 shower heads at 850 city facilities, including police and fire stations, libraries and City Hall. Officials said that should save 46 million gallons a year.

The Department of Airports has replaced fixtures in 100 restrooms and has a water recycling system for its carwash.

Recreation and Parks moved most of its automated watering to nighttime, began using reclaimed sewage water to irrigate golf courses in Griffith Park and stopped using water in ponds that do not recycle water--such as the casting pond in Cheviot Hills Park.

More recently, Fire Chief Donald Manning said firefighters will conduct training drills without water. Manning also ordered that water for testing fire hoses be taken from park lakes and pumped back into those lakes whenever possible.

“The Fire Department is acutely aware of its responsibility to conserve water due to the critical dependence it plays in saving lives and property in an emergency,” Manning said.

Bradley said all departments will save more water. “They’ll get the message from the mayor,” he said.

Late Friday, Bradley instructed the DWP to dispatch audit teams to help city departments adopt water-saving measures.

CITY DEPARTMENTS’ WATER USE

The Average Monthly Billing Units* of water consumed by Los Angeles city departments:

Fiscal Fiscal Fiscal Department 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 Recreation and Parks 474,269 432,165 512,043 DWP Water 21,727 28,171 27,920 DWP Power 77,922 69,079 74,907 Airport Department 49,994 48,635 59,261 Harbor Department 26,045 25,891 28,021 Streets 46,293 31,413 27,678 Sanitation 29,975 29,379 17,286 Housing Authority 193,372 186,085 184,611 General Services 1,818 2,433 2,141 Convention Center 2,402 2,114 1,591 TOTAL 923,817 855,365 935,459

* An Average Monthly Billing Unit is equal to 100 cubic feet of water, or 748 gallons.

Source: Department of Water and Power