Elsinore Valley Water District Among Local Agencies to Fail Recent Water Cut Mandates

Lake Elsinore, CA— A majority of water agencies in Riverside County exceeded state-mandated water conservation goals in May, state officials said Wednesday.

Of 21 agencies reporting, 14 beat conservation targets and most others only missed by narrow margins, according to the California State Water Resources Control Board.

Regulators based savings targets on 2013 consumption levels in each district. Reduction requirements were anywhere from 4 to 36 percent, depending on the conservation formula applied by the water board, which mandated cuts in consumption in response to a drought-related water emergency declared by Gov. Jerry Brown on April 1, 2015.

Most agencies had lower conservation targets than those originally imposed a year ago because officials made adjustments to reflect improving conditions, though they emphasized that 60 percent of the state remains in a five-year drought.

Figures showed that only the Elsinore Valley Water District and the city of Perris failed to meet their state-mandated cuts by 5 or more percentage points in May.

The Lake Hemet Municipal Water District topped its conservation target by the widest margin -- 17 percent.

Not all agencies were counted in the state's tally, including the Idyllwild Water District, the Salton Community Services Water District and the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency. According to the Water Resources Control Board, those agencies serve too few customers -- less than 3,000 each -- and hence are allowed to be excluded from consumption reports.

Statewide water consumption dropped 28 percent last month, with a cumulative savings of 1.6 million acre feet of water since conservation targets were implemented a year ago, according to State Water Resources Control Board Chair Felicia Marcus.

"The phenomenal ongoing water conservation by state residents as we enter the hottest summer months clearly shows Californians understand we remain in stubborn drought conditions statewide and that saving water is just the smart thing to do," Marcus said.

"Rain or shine, drought or no drought, state-mandated target or not, Californians should keep conserving," she said. "While conditions improved for urban California's water supply with the rain and snow we got last year, we are still largely in drought and saving water can extend urban water supplies off into the future if this next winter is dry again."

The water board in May announced a relaxation in conservation requirements to permit agencies to individually determine optimal savings goals. New conservation standards will be in effect until January 2017, per a revised executive order issued by the governor in February.

Brown's April 2015 executive order mandated a 25 percent cut in water use statewide between June 1 and Feb. 29. The statewide target fell just short at 23.9 percent.

Ordinances enacted by the water board in response to the governor's order remain in effect, enforced by local agencies, requiring cutbacks in outdoor residential watering and limitations on how some businesses use water.

— By City News Service. Image via Shutterstock.