Agencies prep for less water

BURBANK — Residents face tight water rationing regulations this summer after the Southland’s major water wholesaler announced Tuesday that it would reduce deliveries for the first time since 1991.

The board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, citing the effects of years of drought and tightening regulatory conditions, voted to cut water shipments by 10% effective July 1, sending local agencies in Glendale, Burbank and La Crescenta into the final stages of planning for imposing strict restrictions on their customers this summer.

Under the wholesale structure approved alongside Metropolitan’s delivery cuts Tuesday, member agencies who use more than their designated allotments would have to pay higher penalty rates on top of the nearly 20% across-the-board rate hike that takes effect Sept. 1.

For consumers, the trickle-down effect will mean tiered rate structures to induce conservation combined with mandatory watering restrictions, such as lawn irrigation schedules.

Already, the Crescenta Valley Water District is migrating to a five-tiered billing system that imposes higher rates on those who use the most water.

Next week, Burbank Water and Power is scheduled to introduce a similarly tiered rate structure, although the City Council would still have to approve any actual rate changes when it reviews a proposal in June, General Manager Ron Davis said.

That would be after the utility introduces a revised conservation ordinance in May that would define six levels of mandatory water rationing.

The first step, to be recommended for adoption May 5, would move all of the current voluntary measures — such as limiting lawn irrigation to three times a week, or serving water at restaurants only upon request — into the mandatory category.

“It shouldn’t shock the community,” Davis said. “It’s all stuff that we’ve been doing.”

Glendale Water & Power officials plan to approach the City Council on April 28 for permission to bring back a draft ordinance that would set up staggered levels of mandatory water restrictions to be triggered according to the city’s ability, or inability, to cut down on water use.

Glendale and Burbank are particularly susceptible to the influence of Metropolitan since they import between 65% and 80% of their water, adding gusto to efforts to reduce overall consumption as a way to stay within their allotments.