“The Regional Board was satisfied with Western’s work and asked for information on how to implement some of our programs at other retail agencies around the state,” said Western Municipal Water District’s General Manager John Rossi, regarding a requested meeting with staff from the State Water Resource Control Board yesterday as a part of the statewide pursuit of the 25 percent reduction in California water use.
At the meeting, Rossi and Deputy Director of Water Resources Tim Barr provided feedback in response to the State Water Resources Control Board’s Information Enforcement Order, a report in which Western was required to address a variety of questions regarding actions taken to reduce customer water use to meet the state-mandated 32 percent reduction.
Western missed the goal for the month of June, the first month of official reporting to the State Board.
“Although our agency fell short of the June conservation target set by the State Board, it was critical to note to the Regional and State Boards that we – with our customers – have been aggressive in working to meet the 32 percent reduction goal. We’re very serious about complying with Governor Brown’s mandate. Western and our customers have actually reduced water use by 58 percent since we instituted water budgets in 2011,” explained Board President Donald D. Galleano
At the meeting yesterday, Rossi and Barr presented responses to all questions asked in the Information Enforcement Order including the multi-year water use efficiency efforts Western and its customers have undertaken. They also reported that Western’s preliminary conservation target numbers for July are at a 24 percent cumulative savings - a seven percent increase over June’s numbers.
The State Board staff indicated that they do not anticipate any further orders for enforcement if Western continues to see the savings necessary to achieve the 32 percent target.
Western Municipal Water District provides water supply, wastewater disposal and water resource management to the public in a safe, reliable, environmentally sensitive and financially responsible manner.
