The final allocation for the state water project has been now been set and it came in at a whopping 45 percent. This, despite a year that has seen well above normal rainfall and snow pack levels.
Ongoing pumping restrictions in the Delta are known to have had an effect on this seemingly low final allocation, but what other factors may have played a role in this lower than expected figure?
You can see the CA Department of Water Resources (DWR) write up about the final allocation here, which includes the water deliveries for State Water Contractors (Including MWD, who supplies Long Beach with roughly 40 percent of its water supply):
http://www.water.ca.gov/swpao/docs/notices/10-10.pdf
Here also is DWR's press release on the final allocation:
http://www.water.ca.gov/news/newsreleases/2010/05202010finalallocation.pdf
If California is dry again next year, as it was during the three years prior to 2009-2010, it will be very interesting to see how far State Water Project deliveries continue to decrease.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
$11 Billion Water Bond - Boondoggle or Necessity?
Things are starting to heat up with the $11 billion water bond proposal that will go before California voters in November.
A coalition of bond supporters have started to make their voices heard, while at the same time, those opposing the bond are ramping up their efforts to undermine the value of the bond.
To learn more about the water bond you can browse the websites of both the support and the opposition groups below:
http://nowaterbond.com/
http://www.waterforca.com/
These are both biased websites, so keep that in mind as you read through them.
After you've read them, let us know what you think...
A coalition of bond supporters have started to make their voices heard, while at the same time, those opposing the bond are ramping up their efforts to undermine the value of the bond.
To learn more about the water bond you can browse the websites of both the support and the opposition groups below:
http://nowaterbond.com/
http://www.waterforca.com/
These are both biased websites, so keep that in mind as you read through them.
After you've read them, let us know what you think...
Monday, May 10, 2010
Corix Utilities to Provide Monthly Meter Reading Services for City of Long Beach
Pilot phase will run through July 31st with full-scale meter reading services expected to begin on August 2nd
LONG BEACH, CA – The City of Long Beach has begun the first steps in transitioning to a new monthly meter reading service. Corix Utilities will be phased in as the new contract meter reading provider for water and gas customers over the next few months.
As part of this new service, the City will also be switching over to monthly meter reading starting in August, which should provide multiple benefits to City of Long Beach water and gas customers. Currently, utility meters are read on a bi-monthly basis and are more vulnerable to estimation and billing adjustment issues that come with the territory of taking a "true" reading once every other month. The new monthly meter reading service should remedy most, if not all of these kinds
More information about the transition to monthly meter reading, as well as the new meter reading contractor, Corix Utilities, can be found in the informational flyer here.
LONG BEACH, CA – The City of Long Beach has begun the first steps in transitioning to a new monthly meter reading service. Corix Utilities will be phased in as the new contract meter reading provider for water and gas customers over the next few months.
As part of this new service, the City will also be switching over to monthly meter reading starting in August, which should provide multiple benefits to City of Long Beach water and gas customers. Currently, utility meters are read on a bi-monthly basis and are more vulnerable to estimation and billing adjustment issues that come with the territory of taking a "true" reading once every other month. The new monthly meter reading service should remedy most, if not all of these kinds
More information about the transition to monthly meter reading, as well as the new meter reading contractor, Corix Utilities, can be found in the informational flyer here.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Long Beach Closes in on Per Capita Water Use of 100 Gallons Per Day
Water demand in April was 17.2% below average; sets a new citywide record for low water consumption during April
LONG BEACH, CA – The Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners has announced today that the City of Long Beach has set another 10-year record low for water consumption during the month of April. Citywide water demand during the month of April was 17.2 percent below the city's historical 10-year average. For the past 12-month period, water demand in Long Beach is tracking at nearly 17 percent below the historical average.
“After two and a half years of sustaining high levels of conservation, our customers continue to impress us with their efforts to permanently reduce their water use,” said Paul Blanco, President of the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners. “They have come to realize, as should all of southern California that it is no longer prudent to safely rely on our water supplies from the Colorado River and Northern California.”
Last week the California Department of Finance released its updated population figures for the City of Long Beach, which saw its population increase by roughly 4,000 people. With this bigger population base, yet decreased water demand, the Long Beach Water Department estimates the city’s per capita water use has dropped to approximately 102 gallons per day.
“Based on these new population and water consumption figures, Long Beach is now two gallons away from reaching per capita water use of 100 gallons per day,” said Kevin Wattier, General Manager for the Long Beach Water Department. “If our customers can reduce their water consumption by another two percent, we will be there, and that would be an incredible feat considering how much additional water our city was using less than five years ago.”
The Long Beach Water Department’s 100th anniversary is next year. Mr. Wattier said it would be great to see the City’s per capita water use come down to 100 gallons by the end of next year.
“We’re unofficially calling it our 100 by 100 initiative,” Wattier remarked.
This morning, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) updated the State Water Project allocation projection, increasing it to 40 percent. A final allocation is expected at the end of May. If the allocation is increased to 50 percent at the end of the month, southern California would still receive 20 percent less water than average in a year that has been well above average in terms of statewide precipitation.
"Although the snow pack has reached its highest May 1 levels since 2006, and allows us to raise our projected deliveries to communities, farms and businesses, we must not be lulled into a false sense of complacency” said DWR Director Mark Cowin. “The harsh reality is that we continue to have a severe problem with water in California. A 40 percent allocation will still leave many communities with water shortages this year. Recovering from three consecutive years of drought, and restrictions on Delta pumping, means we must continue to conserve water and work as hard as ever toward a comprehensive solution to our water crisis.”
The other imported water source that Long Beach relies upon, the Colorado River, has been experiencing worsening problems of its own over the past decade, with drought in 10 of the last 11 years.
“Many people are paying very close attention to the health and sustainability of the Colorado River watershed”, said Mr. Wattier. “The water level in Lake Mead has dropped over 100 feet in the past decade, and at the end of April, it was at the lowest level it has been for this time of the year since 1965.”
Coincidentally, current citywide potable water consumption in Long Beach is also at the same level it was in 1965.
Long Beach Water is an urban, Southern California retail water supply agency, and the standard in water conservation and environmental stewardship.
Long Beach Water Demand Figures
Month of April:
- April FY 10 is 17.2% below Historical 10-year average
- April FY 10 is 18.0% below Historical 5-year average
- April FY 10 is 1.7% below April FY 09
April Fiscal Year-to-Date:
- April FY 10 YTD is 16.8% below Historical 10-year average
- April FY 10 YTD is 16.9% below Historical 5-year average
- April FY 10 YTD is 0.1% below April FY 09 YTD
Running 12-month Total:
Historical 12-month Average: 68,128 gallons
Recent 12 months: 56,699 gallons
Recent 12-month Conservation: 16.8%
LONG BEACH, CA – The Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners has announced today that the City of Long Beach has set another 10-year record low for water consumption during the month of April. Citywide water demand during the month of April was 17.2 percent below the city's historical 10-year average. For the past 12-month period, water demand in Long Beach is tracking at nearly 17 percent below the historical average.
“After two and a half years of sustaining high levels of conservation, our customers continue to impress us with their efforts to permanently reduce their water use,” said Paul Blanco, President of the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners. “They have come to realize, as should all of southern California that it is no longer prudent to safely rely on our water supplies from the Colorado River and Northern California.”
Last week the California Department of Finance released its updated population figures for the City of Long Beach, which saw its population increase by roughly 4,000 people. With this bigger population base, yet decreased water demand, the Long Beach Water Department estimates the city’s per capita water use has dropped to approximately 102 gallons per day.
“Based on these new population and water consumption figures, Long Beach is now two gallons away from reaching per capita water use of 100 gallons per day,” said Kevin Wattier, General Manager for the Long Beach Water Department. “If our customers can reduce their water consumption by another two percent, we will be there, and that would be an incredible feat considering how much additional water our city was using less than five years ago.”
The Long Beach Water Department’s 100th anniversary is next year. Mr. Wattier said it would be great to see the City’s per capita water use come down to 100 gallons by the end of next year.
“We’re unofficially calling it our 100 by 100 initiative,” Wattier remarked.
This morning, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) updated the State Water Project allocation projection, increasing it to 40 percent. A final allocation is expected at the end of May. If the allocation is increased to 50 percent at the end of the month, southern California would still receive 20 percent less water than average in a year that has been well above average in terms of statewide precipitation.
"Although the snow pack has reached its highest May 1 levels since 2006, and allows us to raise our projected deliveries to communities, farms and businesses, we must not be lulled into a false sense of complacency” said DWR Director Mark Cowin. “The harsh reality is that we continue to have a severe problem with water in California. A 40 percent allocation will still leave many communities with water shortages this year. Recovering from three consecutive years of drought, and restrictions on Delta pumping, means we must continue to conserve water and work as hard as ever toward a comprehensive solution to our water crisis.”
The other imported water source that Long Beach relies upon, the Colorado River, has been experiencing worsening problems of its own over the past decade, with drought in 10 of the last 11 years.
“Many people are paying very close attention to the health and sustainability of the Colorado River watershed”, said Mr. Wattier. “The water level in Lake Mead has dropped over 100 feet in the past decade, and at the end of April, it was at the lowest level it has been for this time of the year since 1965.”
Coincidentally, current citywide potable water consumption in Long Beach is also at the same level it was in 1965.
Long Beach Water is an urban, Southern California retail water supply agency, and the standard in water conservation and environmental stewardship.
Long Beach Water Demand Figures
Month of April:
- April FY 10 is 17.2% below Historical 10-year average
- April FY 10 is 18.0% below Historical 5-year average
- April FY 10 is 1.7% below April FY 09
April Fiscal Year-to-Date:
- April FY 10 YTD is 16.8% below Historical 10-year average
- April FY 10 YTD is 16.9% below Historical 5-year average
- April FY 10 YTD is 0.1% below April FY 09 YTD
Running 12-month Total:
Historical 12-month Average: 68,128 gallons
Recent 12 months: 56,699 gallons
Recent 12-month Conservation: 16.8%
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