The Thompson Reservoir water level measured 527 acre feet as of Thursday, June 20, a 55 acre foot decrease since early May. Stage 1 conservation becomes mandatory when the water level drops below 600 acre feet. Stage one became mandatory on May 7, when the Thompson Reservoir water measured 582 acre feet. An acre foot is defined as enough water to cover 1 acre of land 1 foot deep in water.
The Thompson Reservoir water level measured 527 acre feet as of Thursday, June 20, a 55 acre foot decrease since early May. Stage 1 conservation becomes mandatory when the water level drops below 600 acre feet. Stage one became mandatory on May 7, when the Thompson Reservoir water measured 582 acre feet. An acre foot is defined as enough water to cover 1 acre of land 1 foot deep in water.
The Avalon City Council will look at updating the section of the Municipal Code that regulates water use on July 16, according to Interim City Manager Denise Radde. That will be the introduction of a proposed change to the code, called a first reading. The second reading is scheduled for Aug. 6. When the new rules are adopted, they will go into effect 30 days later, Sept. 26.
According to Radde, Avalon officials looked at incorporating state rules into the code in 2010, but decided against making changes at that time.
She said the Avalon code was stricter. As just one example, she said the Public Utilities Commissions rules allowed residents to wash cars with a hose with a shut off nozzle or a 3-gallon bucket.
“Our code specifies a 3-gallon bucket only,” Radde said.
Avalon is now in Stage 1 of what the California Public Utilities Commission calls “Mandatory Water Conservation and Rationing.”
Stage 1 imposes restrictions on water uses in Avalon, but does not limit residents or businesses to a specific amount of water. Fixed rations of water would be imposed if Avalon entered Stage 2 rationing, which would become mandatory if the reservoir level drops below 300 acre feet. In Stage 3, the water ration would be cut in half. In Stage 4, the ration would be 25 percent of the Stage 1 ration.
Southern California Edison provides Avalon’s fresh water. However, the rules are imposed by the state.
The Public Utilities Commission has its own special language for water regulations, which are called “tarrifs,” but in this case the tariff isn’t a tax or fee—it’s a regulation.
Ben Harvey, Edison’s region manager for public affairs, said the PUC website page listing water “tarrifs” was last updated on Jan. 20, 2010.