1995 City Water Use Below Projections

An update of the city’s Urban Water Management Plan shows that the city consumed less water than expected last year.

A recently released report states that the city used 17,400 acre-feet of water in 1995, well below the 21,500 acre-feet projected in the 1985 plan. By 2010, the study estimates, the city will consume 19,500 acre-feet. One acre-foot equals 325,900 gallons.

Though Newport Beach is planning for a growth rate significantly below that of the statewide average, the city, as a water importer, depends on the availability of water across the state.

To provide water for the city’s projected population increase--from about 70,000 this year to about 79,000 in 2010--officials are implementing two projects, called Groundwater Development and Green Acres.

The Groundwater Development project, which has been in the works for 10 years, includes construction of wells to provide 12,000 to 17,000 acre-feet of water a year.

The use of well water would mean a reduction in cost to water users because water would no longer have to be imported. Public Works Director Don Webb said officials hope to turn on the tap from the wells by summer 1997.

The second project, Green Acres, is a cooperative effort with the Orange County Water District to bring highly treated waste water to Newport Beach for use in landscape irrigation of public parks, greenbelts and golf courses.

When the project is completed in the next five years, it will provide 3,000 acre-feet of water a year, Webb said.

The Urban Water Management Plan was mandated by a 1983 state law that requires water providers with more than 3,000 customers to have conservation guidelines and to update them every five years.