The Los Angeles City Council approved the proposed Department of Water and Power shortage-year water rates last Friday, and many Pacific Palisades residents may see an increase in their bills after the new rates go into effect on June 1. The proposal to authorize the new rates passed with a 9-to-2 vote, with Councilmembers Dennis Zine and Janice Hahn casting the dissenting votes. District 11 Councilman Bill Rosendahl voted for the shortage-year rates because ‘We’re in a crisis,’ he told the Palisadian-Post Tuesday morning. ‘This sends a clear signal to conserve and use water more efficiently,’ Rosendahl said. ‘The vast number of people who do take the conservation steps will see a reduction in their water bills.’ Rosendahl spoke to the Post shortly before voting for Phase III of the DWP drought plan, which passed 11 to 0. This vote approved new watering restrictions, requiring residents to use sprinklers just two days a week and only before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Hand watering is allowed seven days a week, but only before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m.   ’Residents who have a gardener must also follow these rules,’ Rosendahl said. The new restrictions will go into effect on May 21. Currently, household water bills average about $83 a month, but if residents do not cut their consumption by 15 percent the bill could go to about $92 starting in June. If consumption is reduced, residents may actually pay less than they do now. In figuring the per-gallon water allocation, ‘The LADWP assigns six persons per household, unless notified otherwise by the customer,’ said public information officer Jane Galbraith. ‘The ‘six’ people also take into account outside water use, e.g., the yard and car washing.’ (DWP figures the average L.A. household uses 1,200 cubic feet per two-month billing cycle’a hundred cubic feet is equal to 748 gallons.) This is the third straight year of statewide below-normal precipitation, and even though California has survived previous droughts, Galbraith explained why the problem has become serious this year. ‘Historically, Los Angeles has had a seemingly unending supply of water from the Owens Valley [via the aqueduct], but we are leaving more water there to control dust on the Owens dry lake bed, re-water the lower Owens River and keep Mono Lake stable. Couple this with environmental factors to maintain species in the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta, and we’re not getting the supplies we once did.’ Last year the city used 211 billions of gallons of water: the projected demand for this year is 208 billion gallons, which means that residents of Los Angeles have already started working towards conservation. ‘We’ve asked all Angelenos to conserve, and they are,’ said Galbraith, noting that citywide conservation has improved 5 percent. The Metropolitan Water District, which is where LADWP obtains 80 percent of its water, is telling member agencies to cut 20 percent, which means LADWP needs to cut an additional 15 percent. In passing the shortage-year rates, the City Council asked for a hardship exemption process to accommodate people with special needs. ‘At the present time, there are no exemptions allowed,’ said a LADWP source. In addition to urging residents to conserve water, city officials are taking steps to conserve. The DWP has begun converting its community property to drought-tolerant landscape, and is asking people who see water wasted on city property to report it at www.ladwp.com.   Also, although the city is not currently limiting new building developments, all new projects must include strict water-conservation methods and follow the standards in the Green Building Ordinance, according to L.A. City Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s spokesperson Juan Bustamante. Another way the city has led in water conservation is by installing low-flush toilets and urinals. City officials hope the new rates will encourage residents to take simple steps to reduce water consumption’such as not leaving the water running while brushing teeth, making sure sprinklers work properly, taking shorter showers, fixing leaky faucets, changing landscape watering to fewer days, and xeriscaping. Residents can find out their water allocation by calling 1-800-DIALDWP. After May 1, they will be able to access the information on the DWP Website at www.ladwp.com.
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