Water Supply Outlook Is Up in the Air

If dry conditions persist, Los Angeles could be forced to boost monthly water bills by another $1.50 next year, a top city official said Tuesday.

Water rates recently were raised about $1.50 a month to offset $34 million the city plans to spend this year on water bought from the Metropolitan Water District, said Duane Georgeson, assistant general manager of the Department of Water and Power. Last year, the city budgeted $12 million but spent $20 million on supplementary water.

“People may have wondered why their bills suddenly jumped up,” Georgeson said. “But the city is allowed to increase the rates when it has to buy water from outside sources. Unfortunately, we’ve had to buy more water lately.”

The city may spend as much as $60 million next year on water if the dry conditions continue, Georgeson said. Although no one knows for sure, he said that at least one more year of light rainfall is likely if the weather follows previous patterns.

Normally, runoff from the snowpack in the Eastern Sierra supplies the city with 75% of its water. But this year was the state’s driest in a decade, and the snowpack in the Eastern Sierra is 50% below normal seasonal levels, Georgeson said. Population growth and water contamination have aggravated the shortage.

Concern over a potential drought prompted Mayor Tom Bradley on Wednesday to initiate a $3-million educational campaign aimed at conserving water. Last year, the city spent $1 million on conservation efforts.

“We could be faced with a drastic situation if this continues,” Bradley said at a morning news conference at City Hall. “You can help us in this great fight to conserve water. Every gallon saved this year is another gallon we’ll have next year.”

The mayor warned that the city’s water-rationing laws would be reinstated if the supply does not improve through voluntary conservation. In 1977, the city imposed restrictions on water use after two years of severe drought.

Bradley also asked restaurants not to serve water unless it is requested by the customer.

The education program announced Wednesday includes $1.8 million earmarked for this month, August and September.