San Diegans to Be Asked to Reduce Water Use

Alarmed by the continuing drought in Northern California, from which flows 60% of the county’s water, the San Diego County Water Authority said Wednesday that it will ask San Diegans to voluntarily reduce their consumption of water this summer by 10%.

The plea for water conservation will be formally issued June 1, along with specific recommendations on how to reduce water consumption, Water Authority General Manager Lester A. Snow said Wednesday.

One likely recommendation is that customers water their lawns on alternate days depending on whether their street addresses end with odd or even numbers. Customers will also be asked to take their cars to commercial car washes, which use one-fifth the water typically used at home, Snow said.

Speaking at a Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce gathering, Snow said the water conservation plea would be the first issued since 1977, the year of the state’s last drought. Rate increases and other sanctions are not currently being contemplated by water districts as a means of reducing water usage, Snow said.

Second Year of Shortages

Now in its second year of severe water shortages, Northern California sends water to the Metropolitan Water Authority via the California Aqueduct. In turn, the MWD pumps water to SDCWA, which then distributes it to 24 local water districts serving San Diego County’s 2.2 million population.

In most years, San Diego gets 60% of its water via the California Aqueduct. But over the past two drought years, San Diego has received 90% of its water from the Colorado River, MWD’s second principal source. The two aqueducts supply virtually 100% of San Diego’s water.

The water shortage, caused by lower that normal snowfall and mountain runoff, has already prompted San Francisco and East San Francisco Bay utilities to ask for 25% cuts in water consumption this summer, Snow said.

Last week, the Metropolitan Water District approved a proposal giving it the power to cut off water altogether to agricultural users in its Southern California distribution area next year if the water shortage continues into a third year in 1989. Those affected by a potentially devastating cutoff would include San Diego avocado, tomato, citrus and flower growers.

A Likely Scenario

On Wednesday, Snow said the chances of San Diego farmers losing water entirely are remote. A more likely scenario would be a “drought plan” that would have all San Diego water customers--residential, industrial and agricultural users included--sharing a prescribed cut in water consumption.

Snow said the conservation this summer may help San Diegans to avoid a cut in water supply next year because it will reduce the amount of water taken out of storage reservoirs.

Snow warned those attending the Chamber of Commerce meeting that San Diego’s emergency water supply would be inadequate in the event of a major earthquake.