The San Diego County Water Authority is preparing to activate Level 1 – Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to sustain California after two record-dry years. The agency’s 36-member Board of Directors will decide at its formal monthly meeting on Oct. 28 whether to activate the drought response plan, following today’s recommendation by staff.
Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom expanded a drought emergency to now include all of California. During the summer, 50 of the state’s 58 counties were announced as part of the emergency declaration. The eight counties that were previously excluded are now included, which includes most of Southern California.
San Diego County is one of the eight counties now added. The emergency declaration encourages Californians to cut back water usage by 15% and asks all local water agencies to implement conservation plans.
The San Diego County Water Authority is preparing to ask residents to voluntarily conserve up to 10% of their water in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s declaration of a statewide drought emergency.
The action, which requires a formal vote by the authority’s 36 member-agency directors at their Oct. 28 meeting, comes despite adequate local supplies as a record drought grips much of California.
Mired in an historic drought, California is set to get its first significant soaking of the season this week, with storms forecasted to dump up to 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain in parched parts of the state.
But the rain, which comes after wildfires have collectively burned more than 3,898 square miles (10,096 square kilometers) this year, won’t be enough to make up for all the water California lost over the summer following some of the driest months on record.
Tuesday, state water officials warned one of the state’s large reservoirs in Mendocino County could run dry by next summer. Meanwhile, new data showed Californians lowered their water usage by just 3.5% in July and August, far from the 15% reduction Gov. Gavin Newsom had requested earlier this year.
Encinitas, Calif. — In an October 19 proclamation, Governor Newsom extended to Southern California the drought-related State of Emergency that had been declared earlier in the year for other areas of the state. The emergency declaration directed water agencies throughout the state to activate their Water Shortage Contingency Plans to preserve water supplies.
Olivenhain Municipal Water District had already activated Level 1 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in 2016. At the Level 1 condition, customers are encouraged to take voluntary actions to reduce water waste, such as promptly fixing leaks, stopping runoff from inefficient irrigation, irrigating only during night and early morning hours, and avoiding washing down paved surfaces.
I’m so gratified to report that due to your efforts, today’s New York Times features a lengthy story recognizing the benefits of the San Diego County water reliability strategy – an approach that aligns with Gov. Newsom’s Water Resilience Portfolio.
The article addresses our region’s role in the nation’s largest ag-to-urban water conservation project, along with the conservation ethic embraced by homes and businesses across the region, and current investments in potable water reuse, which is the next major source of supply for the region.
The Times cited the Public Policy Institute of California – a leading think tank – commending the San Diego region’s efforts. And the story said our collective “try-everything approach to getting water has emerged as a model for cities — including Denver and Albuquerque — where leaders are dealing with one of climate change’s most dire effects.” Also today, the Southern California News Group published an editorial that showcased local investments as a model.
While we celebrate these recognitions, we remain acutely aware of the severe and worsening drought conditions across the West – and how important it is for the San Diego County to continue being a leader in statewide drought defenses. That’s why our Board next week will consider activating our drought response plan. This action supports the governor’s request that local water suppliers implement plans responsive to local conditions, and his extension of the drought emergency declaration to San Diego County.
The San Diego County Water Authority is preparing to activate Level 1 – Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to sustain California after two record-dry years. The agency’s 36-member Board of Directors will decide at its formal monthly meeting on Oct. 28 whether to activate the drought response plan, following today’s recommendation by staff.
While the San Diego region continues to have long-term water resilience and reliable water supplies due to decades of conservation efforts and ratepayer investments, Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl said it’s critical to advance statewide efforts to combat drought.
“This is an all-hands moment,” said Kerl. “We are fully supportive of the governor’s efforts and fully engaged in helping residents and businesses do their part each and every day.”
On Tuesday Oct. 19, Gov. Newsom extended his drought emergency declaration to cover the entire state and asked the State Water Board to ban wasteful water practices such as using potable water for washing driveways and sidewalks. In addition, the governor directed water suppliers to implement Water Shortage Contingency Plans, which are responsive to local supply-demand conditions.
The Water Authority’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan is designed for situations in which the agency’s supplies have been reduced. Previous versions of the plan have been activated twice before – once in 2007 and again in 2014. While the region isn’t currently facing supply reductions, Kerl said the recommendation to go to Level 1 sends a signal that voluntary conservation efforts are necessary, and it gives local retail water agencies flexibility to address local conditions.
In line with Gov. Newsom’s Water Resilience Portfolio, San Diego County’s diversified water resources reduce pressure on the State Water Project and make more water available to other areas of the state hit hardest by drought. The Water Authority helped enact the nation’s largest ag-to-urban conservation project to sustain the region’s $253 billion economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million people. In addition, the region’s per capita water use is down nearly 50% since 1990.
“While we are hopeful that a wet winter will take the edge off this current drought, we need to recognize that may not be the case,” Kerl said. “The entire American West is facing hot and dry conditions not seen in our lifetimes, and the realities of climate change mean we need to prepare for this as the new normal.
“We have resources to help as every resident and business owner takes this call seriously and looks for ways they can take meaningful actions to prevent water waste.”
At Level 1 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan, the Water Authority will enhance regional outreach and education to promote conservation. The agency offers numerous tools to make the most of every drop at www.watersmartsd.org. Resources include:
The Water Authority is also developing a program to increase installation of low-flow toilets in low-income communities, and it’s looking for opportunities to help the parts of the state that are suffering from extreme water shortages. The Water Authority has groundwater stored in the Central Valley that could be exchanged or sold, and the Water Authority is seeking partners who could benefit from increasing water production at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant.
The 2021 water year was the driest in California in more than a century, but San Diego County continues to have reliable water supplies due to long-term investments in water sources and infrastructure, coupled with extensive water conservation efforts.
October 20, 2021 – The San Diego County Water Authority is preparing to activate Level 1 – Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to sustain California after two record-dry years. The agency’s 36-member Board of Directors will decide at its formal monthly meeting on Oct. 28 whether to activate the drought response plan, following today’s recommendation by staff.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide drought emergency on Tuesday, appealing to all Californians to do more to conserve water in the face of one of the state’s most severe droughts on record.
“As the western U.S. faces a potential third year of drought, it’s critical that Californians across the state redouble our efforts to save water in every way possible,” Newsom said.
While most of California’s 58 counties have been in a state of drought emergency since July, Newsom’s proclamation added the last eight remaining counties, and further bolstered his call for everyone to voluntary reduce water use by 15%. The proclamation notes that the State Water Resources Control Board may adopt emergency regulations to prohibit wasting water, such as hosing down sidewalks or driveways, allowing drinking water to flood gutters or streets, or washing a car without a shut-off nozzle.
Recent news stories highlighted the investments by the San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies to create a plentiful water supply for the region, helping to weather dry times like the current drought.
The New York Times, Spectrum News 1, The Wall Street Journal and Wired Magazine are among several news organizations that have reported on the region’s water supply projects, current and future, that ensure the 3.3 million residents of the county won’t be left high and dry during times of drought.
