Most local communities backsliding in water conservation
Nearly two years ago the state dropped the mandatory conservation targets imposed by Gov. Jerry Brown in May 2015 as a result of the drought, though the mandatory levels were eliminated, cities within the state were still encouraged to conserve water.
The latest numbers released by the state, however, show that the state as a whole is once again using as much water as it did prior to the drought.
Locally, only the city of Brawley has managed to sustain water conservation numbers. It ranks among the top cities across the state when it comes to conserving water.
For the month of January, Brawley used 50 percent less than the same month in 2013, which is being used as the baseline for the state.
Since June 2015, Brawley has managed to reduce its cumulative water use by 38.5 percent.
One reason the city’s numbers look so good is due to the high water use the city had during 2013 when its residential gallons per capita per day usage was 155 gallons, double the average of the other valley cities. But while that high baseline made improvement easier for Brawley, the city is now using less water than the other cities in the region. For January Brawley had a consumption of 60 residential gallons per capita per day, while El Centro consumed 78 gallons, Imperial 80 gallons, and Calexico 81 gallons.
The City of Calexico has struggled the most when it comes to saving water since the water conservation rules were first put in place. On average, the city has used almost 12 percent more water per person per month that it did in 2013. In January alone, it used 47 percent more water per capita than it did in January 2013.
Calexico city manager David Dale, who was hired by the city originally as public works director after the state rescinded water conservation rules, said the current rate structure in the city doesn’t favor conservation, but he hopes that can change in the next couple of months when he brings forward a new rate study that will help encourage better water use.
“The city’s water rate structure does not currently encourage conserving water because there is an allowance of 22,400 gallons per month with the minimum water charge of $43.89,” Dale said. “We are completing a rate study through a consultant to change the rate structure to a small minimum charge and then usage. Thereby there will be incentive to reduce water use.”
Other challenges Dale said the city currently has when it comes to conserving water includes the fact the city does not have meters on most city parks and buildings, though the city is currently in the process of installing them. Also, the city’s underground water pipelines are at the end of their useful life and have averaged a couple of line breaks per week.
The cumulative water savings the city of El Centro has accrued since 2015 is nearly 11 percent; however, the number is trending downward.
In January, the city used slightly more water per capita than it did in January 2013.
Meanwhile, Imperial’s monthly average per-capita water savings has been 5 percent. The city consumed nearly 15 percent more water per capita than it did in January 2013.
Since the end of the mandated conservation, the city of Imperial has continued with efforts to conserve through public outreach and its educational “Save Water” campaign.
“Although the time restrictions were lifted in the City of Imperial, conservation is a mandatory ‘way of life’ for the residents,” said Management Analyst for the City Manager’s Office Alexis Chalupnik. “The city still maintains the enforcements as outlined in the executive order issued by Gov. Brown in April of 2015: no watering of hardscape, no water runoff, and water features must be on a recirculating system.”
Requests for comment made Brawley and El Centro were not answered prior to deadline.
Though the state relaxed the rules and rescinded the mandatory conservation rations to give cities more flexibility, the state Water Resources Control Board made it clear that if the conservation ceased, the board could then consider bringing the mandatory conservation back.
The Chairwoman Felicia Marcus told the San Jose Mercury News that she attributed the unusually high consumption in January to warmer and dry weather in that month particularly in Southern California.
“You don’t want to jump to a conclusion and say the sky is falling, everybody has forgotten how to conserve, but having been through what we’ve been through, we obviously want people to stay aware and redouble our efforts,” Marcus said.