Local Water Agencies Face Complex Cuts

Officials throughout Southern California struggled with decisions about water rationing Wednesday after the giant Metropolitan Water District ordered local water agencies to reduce their overall consumption by 17%.

Most of the 27 agencies said that, given the state’s prolonged drought, the MWD action was appropriate and they expected to pass the mandatory cutbacks on to individual consumers beginning March 1.

But the officials added that imposing rationing would be a complex task, with final decisions not expected for several weeks.

In Santa Monica, for example, Stan Scholl, director of general services, pointed out that 90% of the residents live in multiunit housing, with one water meter often serving a number of families. Many of these buildings are subject to the city’s rent control laws.

Under such conditions, how could landlords determine which tenants exceeded their water quotas and which did not? Under rent control, how could monetary penalties for overuse be imposed on tenants at all? It will be up to the Santa Monica City Council to untangle all that.

In Torrance, roughly one-fifth of all water is consumed by the Mobil Oil Co. refinery, a facility that city officials say has been exemplary in its water conservation efforts.

“They already recycle their water six to eight times,” said Chuck Schaich, an official with the Torrance Municipal Water Department. “They’re our most efficient user.”

The refinery has expanded its operations considerably in recent months, in large part because of the Persian Gulf crisis. With rationing quotas based largely on past usage, Schaich asked, is it really fair to ask the refinery to make the same 10% cutback being asked of other business in the area? The Torrance City Council must decide.

Under the order handed down Tuesday by the MWD, the agencies serving about 15 million people between Ventura County and the Mexican border must reduce residential-commerical-industrial consumption by 10% and agricultural consumption by 30%--an overall reduction of 17%.

In Los Angeles County, where agricultural use in minimal, any rationing imposed on farmers is not expected to have much impact. On the other hand, farmers use about 18% of the MWD water shipped to San Diego County.

James R. Melton, a spokesman for the San Diego County Water Authority, said that through use of drip irrigation and other water-saving systems, “agriculture is already extremely efficient in this county.”

“We really felt it was inappropriate to charge a 30% penalty for agricultural users,” Melton said. The authority is still struggling with that one.

In most cases, the final decisions on whether to impose mandatory water rationing--and how to structure it--will be made not by the 17 water agencies, but by local governing bodies, such as city councils.

Because the agencies differ greatly in the amount of MWD water they distribute, some rationing decisions will affect millions of people while others will affect only a few thousand.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, for example, used 464,000 acre-feet of MWD water in 1989-90, while the city of San Fernando’s water department used only 2,206 acre-feet. The San Marino water district covers only that one small city, while the San Diego County Water Authority distributes water to 23 cities and subdistricts.

Different districts plan to use different base years to determine water quotas under their new conservation plans.

In Los Angeles, where the City Council and mayor are expected to impose mandatory rationing beginning March 1, the DWP plans to use 1986--the most recent “normal year” in terms of temperatures and rainfall, according Jerry Gewe, a senior engineer in the department’s division of water resources planning. Consumers exceeding their quotas would pay a penalty.

For example, if a consumer uses 10% less water in April, 1991, than he did in April, 1986, he would be billed at the normal rate. Any water used in excess of that amount would be billed at triple the normal rate and, in addition, the entire bill would be subject to a 15% surcharge.

Gewe said large-scale voluntary conservation efforts began here in 1988, with water being saved in a variety of ways--through use of equipment such as low-flow shower heads and toilets and through public awareness spurred by educational efforts in schools and the news media.

Between April and September of last year, these voluntary cutbacks reduced DWP consumption to about 11% less than might normally be expected, given the weather. But the reduction dipped to about 5.5% in October and about 7% in November.

Sizable as these savings were, more is needed and the MWD’s latest cutback order is both timely and appropriate, Gewe said.

Little opposition to mandatory rationing is anticipated in the council chambers. Mayor Bradley, an early supporter of the proposal, has yet to take a position, but his office indicated on Tuesday that “mandatory rationing is becoming more of a possibility.”

On the other hand, conservation measures are expected to remain voluntary for the time being in much of Orange County, particularly in the northern two-thirds of the region. That portion of the county sits atop a vast, underground aquifer that apparently can provide an adequate supply of water for the near future.

But officials even in the water-rich cities of Orange County plan to step up their campaigns to encourage voluntary conservation.

Most Orange County water officials contacted Wednesday fully supported the cuts by the MWD, saying that it was a timely act that will help put off a crisis.

Water problems have been more critical in the southern reaches of the county, but most agencies are not talking yet about mandatory rationing. But if the drought drags on through the winter, most water officials concede that mandatory rationing is almost inevitable throughout the county, even in cities that sit atop a plentiful supply of ground water.

In San Diego County, which uses about 650,000 acre-feet of MWD water per year, officials were talking about a carrot-and-stick approach.

“Everyone is going to be allocated 85% of what they used in 1989-90. Water above that will be charged three times the normal rate,” Melton said. “That is the stick. The carrot is that, if they use less, then they will only have to pay half the normal price per acre-foot of water.”

Officials in the city of San Diego think a voluntary effort will suffice, at least for the time being. Mayor Maureen O’Connor’s office said that residents “did such a good job last year” that she sees no need for imposition of mandatory rationing yet.

In Ventura County, officials in Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley said they plan to impose mandatory rationing programs by the end of the month that call for residents to reduce water consumption or face heavy penalties on their water bills.

Times staff writers Eric Bailey, Michele Fuetsch, Berkley Hudson, Rick Holguin, Marc Lacey, Carlos Lozano, Monica Rodriguez, Phil Sneiderman and Amy Wallace contributed to this story.

THE WATER STORY

The Metropolitan Water District voted on Tuesday to require Southern California water agencies to reduce overall consumption by 17% after receiving a report of storage in two key reservoirs--the Oroville and San Luis dams. The figures showed that storage currently for this time of year--and the storage in the drought year of 1977.

COPING WITH THE DROUGHT

A sampling of efforts in Southern California to prepare for water shortages during the continuing five-year drought:

ANAHEIM--The city plans 15% voluntary cut and will outfit the Disneyland Hotel with low-flow toilets and shower heads as a demonstration project. Also planned are rebates for residential low-flow toilets.

BURBANK--Conservation measures will be presented to the City Council Jan. 29. Among them are rebates of up to $100 to residents who install low-flow toilets and a proposal to make conservation measures mandatory.

COMPTON--An ordinance mandating a 10% reduction is being prepared, but residents already achieved that reduction in December under a voluntary program launched in October.

FOOTHILL MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT--This district, which supplies water to agencies serving La Canada Flintridge and unincorporated La Crescenta and Altadena, will pass along the MWD cuts to its member agencies. La Canada Flintridge will consider programs to reduce lawn watering.

FULLERTON--An information program giving conservation tips has achieved an 8% reduction since May. Also being considered is a tough, five-phase conservation program with penalties for wasteful customers. But problems are not as severe as some other communities because the city gets 65% of its water from ground water.

GLENDALE--More water may be pumped from city wells, and conservation messages will be included in water bills. A five-stage conservation ordinance adopted last year could require customers to cut use up to 25% or face penalties.

LAGUNA BEACH--A surcharge doubles the cost of water for homeowners who don’t cut their usage to specified levels.

LONG BEACH--The city will consider updating a 1978 conservation ordinance that would set usage ceilings and charge penalties for violations. A 1989 voluntary conservation ordinance initially cut use by 8%, but conservation has dropped in recent months to about 4% to 5%.

LOS ANGELES--The Department of Water and Power is leaning toward imposition on March 1 of a plan requiring a 10% reduction from 1986 usage levels. Penalties could include fines. The city has stepped up information efforts in schools and the media while launching an ultra-low-flow toilet rebate program, conducting home water surveys and distributing more than 1 million low-flow shower heads.

ORANGE COUNTY--The county’s Municipal Water District, which serves most cities, asked for voluntary reductions last year and achieved a 10% cutback. The county’s northern two-thirds sits atop a vast aquifer capable of providing a ready supply of water for the near future. Several water agencies are considering new rate structures that would double water bills for customers exceeding a certain ceiling.

PASADENA--A conservation plan is being developed that would start in July and achieve a 6% reduction.

RIVERSIDE--The city plans to institute a 10% voluntary reduction plan. Last year they called for a 5% cutback from their customers and achieved a 5% to 6% reduction. The county achieved a 17% voluntary reduction last year, but is now considering a mandatory 17% cutback for all users. Penalties would include a 300% surcharge for water used above the limit.

SAN DIEGO--The city will continue a voluntary conservation plan begun last summer with a target of reducing use between 7% and 10% a month. The city’s water department will ask the City Council to approve a $100 rebate for people who install ultra-low-flush toilets.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY--The county’s water authority, which sells MWD water to 23 cities and districts, will reduce supplies to all customers by 15% from last year’s levels. A 300% surcharge will be imposed for exceeding the allocation. Customers who use less than their allotment will only be charged half the normal rate.

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY--Most water comes from an aquifer, but the MWD supplies 10% of the water--and up to 50% in some cities. Mandatory rationing may be necessary in those communities that rely most heavily on the MWD, including South Pasadena, West Covina, Alhambra, Arcadia and Monrovia.

SANTA MONICA--Several measures, some begun as long as six years ago, saved 10% in 1989 and 10% last year. A toilet retrofit program alone has saved 500,000 gallons a day last year. The city is considering imposing penalties on the books since 1977.

TORRANCE--Mandatory 10% cutbacks are being considered for residential customers, with penalties for violations and incentives for compliance. About 12,000 conservation kits, displacement bags, dye tablets to check for leaks and flower seeds requiring little water have been distributed since June.

VENTURA COUNTY--Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks may impose mandatory rationing by the end of the month, with heavy penalties for noncompliance.