When It Rains, It’s Still a Drought : Sometimes voluntary conservation isn’t enough

Southern Californians may never get all the water they want, but they can probably get all they need if they use it prudently.

Some areas know that. Despite population growth, the city of San Clemente in Orange County, for example, is using only about two-thirds of the water it used last year because it rations its supply. Voluntary programs in the rest of the county can’t compete with those numbers, but they, too, are working.

Some areas have yet to get the message. Los Angeles, for example, has failed for the third straight month to meet the voluntary goal of using 10% less than it used in 1986. Now the Department of Water and Power wants to impose stiff fines on its customers if they go over the limit. Mayor Tom Bradley and the City Council have no choice but to agree.

With sensible water policies and relatively modest expenditures for new reservoirs and underground storage systems, California can keeping growing and still stretch its water supplies far enough to go around.

But not all state water policies make sense. And even if they could be changed without some political pain, new state policies would come too late to help Southern California through a fifth year of drought.

This week’s downpour has been welcome, but it also gives Southern Californians a good idea of the drought they are up against. When the storm started lifting, the season’s rainfall total had creeped up to about an inch, as measured at Los Angeles City Hall. That’s not nearly enough. In a normal season the total amount of rainfall would be 4.5 inches.

DWP is not the only water agency that will run short this year if the citizens of Los Angeles go on using water as if they could get all they want. The Metropolitan Water District has already announced cuts in its allotment of water to the DWP and other local water agencies because it is not getting enough from the Colorado River or the State Water Project to meet demands. Any water it delivers beyond the reduced allotment will carry a steep price tag. DWP, for example, will pay penalty prices for anything over 90% of the water it bought last year.

One change in both state and federal water policy that must eventually be made will involve charging farmers the full cost of water they use for irrigation. Irrigation water is heavily subsidized and accounts for 85% of all water used in the state.

Another will involve changes in the law to make it easier for rural areas to sell surplus water to cities.

But for now, Southern California has to get along on what existing policies and reservoirs can deliver, and that will not stretch far enough.

The DWP is urging City Hall to start charging higher prices Feb. 1 for exceeding conservation goals. A Bradley aide says the mayor wants to see how things go in January before he responds.

That seems to cut it pretty fine. It would make far more sense to set limits with some teeth in them now so that they can take effect immediately if volunteerism fails for yet another month.