Council to consider moving to 2-day a week watering schedule
The Porterville City Council will consider Tuesday conducting a public hearing regarding the transition from Phase IV to Phase III of the city’s water conservation plan.
Mike Reed, the city’s public works director, stated in a staff report that reduced production guidelines presented in Gov. Jerry Brown’s executive orders and subsequent regulations adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board, require that Porterville maintain a cumulative production of 26 percent less than the production of 2013. He said the expectation of 26 percent cumulative total conservation will be extended through the ongoing emergency drought response.
Through the implementation of mandatory reductions, Reed said, the city has been able to produce a cumulative total reduction of 27 percent through the month of April of this year. In order to maintain the mandated reductions while providing flexibility to city residents, Reed said city staff recommends that the city repeat the watering schedules the city council implemented last year. If council agrees to move to Phase III of the city’s water conservation plan, residents would be able to water two days a week. More specifically, those with odd addresses would be allowed to water from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday and Saturday. Even addresses would be able to water at the same time on Wednesday and Sunday. If passed, Phase III would be effective June 1, and would continue until Nov. 30. Reed said on Dec. 1 the city should transition back to Phase IV of the city’s water conservation plan, which would restrict residents to watering one day a week. In terms of the city’s water issue, City Manager John Lollis said the
“At some point the declaration will come to an end. It could be as soon as June 30, it could be longer than that.”
state has indicated that it will end its drought assistance on June 30, but noted that the official date of termination may be later.
“At some point the declaration will come to an end,” Lollis said. “It could be as soon as June 30, it could be longer than that.”
With regard to the East Porterville Water Connection Project, Lollis said the next milestone will involve the state transferring ownership of the pipelines that were installed for the project to the city.
The council will also consider a draft resolution in support for Assembly Bill 242 (Arambula and Patteson); “Certificates of Death: Veterans”
The bill proposes to require a person completing a certificate of death to record whether the decedent was ever in the U.S. Armed Forces. The bill also requires the State Department of Public Health to access data within the electronic death registration system to compile a report on veteran suicide in California and require the department to annually provide that report to the Legislature and the Department of Veteran Affairs.
The council meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the council chambers in Porterville’s City Hall.