Southern California Edison is holding off sending new water allotment letters to Islanders until the company knows the impact of last Friday’s rain on the Middle Ranch Reservoir. Two weeks ago, the company announced that water rationing would be reduced to 25 percent. According to Edison, the new rationing will be based on Stage 3 approved variances, or Stage 2 variances if that doesn’t apply or on the baseline water use if Stage 2 variances don’t apply.
Southern California Edison is holding off sending new water allotment letters to Islanders until the company knows the impact of last Friday’s rain on the Middle Ranch Reservoir. Two weeks ago, the company announced that water rationing would be reduced to 25 percent. According to Edison, the new rationing will be based on Stage 3 approved variances, or Stage 2 variances if that doesn’t apply or on the baseline water use if Stage 2 variances don’t apply.
This week Jeff Lawrence, Edison’s senior project manager in Catalina, told the City Council that Edison will send out new water allotment letters to customers in March, after the company has assessed the effect of the Feb. 17 rain on the contents of the Middle Ranch Reservoir. Technically, Catalina will remain in Stage 3 rationing—which allowed water rationing up to 50 percent—because there is less bureaucracy required to simply reduce the water than in changing the official stage of rationing. Edison is expected to present a plan for water infrastructure improvements to the March 21 council meeting. The presentation was originally expected in December. In related news, in his weekly update, City Manager David Jinkens reported that Edison representatives have agreed to meet with Avalon representatives to discuss water issues. A date for the meeting hasn’t been set yet.
