by Greg Morrison
Governor Jerry Brown recently declared an end to California’s three-year drought after an unexpectedly wet winter that left the Sierra snowpack at 165% of its normal level for this time of year. This is great news for California, as the entire state relies heavily on the snowpack for drinking water. However, one year of wet weather has not undone three years of intense drought and we’re not out of the woods yet – especially those of us in Southern California.
Although our weather may vary greatly from day to day, California’s long-term weather cycle is very predictable – we will have the occasional wet season but we will inevitably face more droughts. How can we take advantage of these wet seasons and prepare for the drought years?
To prepare for the next drought and to help our customers save water and money, EVMWD implemented an “allocation-based conservation rate structure” or “water budgets”, which use property-specific water budgets and tiered pricing to provide customers with an economic incentive to encourage efficient water use.
This type of rate structure has been around for several decades and has a proven track record. It rewards those who use water wisely and shifts the cost associated with water over-use to those that waste water.
The fact is, in a region that relies heavily on imported water, our state’s aging infrastructure and stringent environmental policies make our supplies vulnerable even when we are not in a drought. Upgrades to our dams and levees are badly needed in order to successfully capture snowpack runoff as it melts. Although the state’s reservoirs, already at their highest levels in years, it is still likely that billions of gallons of drinkable water from the snowpack will be lost due to our state’s lack of storage capacity.
While our state seeks long term water supply reliability and delivery solutions, Californians must continue conserving water to help protect local resources and prepare for the next drought.
EVMWD customers have already begun to make water conservation a way of life. In the last year alone, our customers have successfully reduced their water usage by 15%. But we won’t stop there – from updating landscapes with California-friendly plants to taking advantage of rebates on water-saving appliances, there are plenty of opportunities ahead to continue saving water and ensure adequate local resources for years to come.
The end of California’s drought offers our state and local water districts the opportunity to look forward and prepare for the future while we continue to protect and preserve our valuable water resources.
Greg Morrison is EVMWD spokesperson – check out www.evmwd.com.