Stage 2 water rationing could come to Avalon in June, according to a Southern California Edison presentation to the Tuesday, April 15, City Council meeting.
Avalon has been in Stage 1 water rationing since June 2013. Stage 1 rationing regulated the use of water for such things as watering lawns and washing cars. Stage 2 rationing will reduce the percentage of water that Avalon residents and businesses are allowed to use.
Stage 2 water rationing could come to Avalon in June, according to a Southern California Edison presentation to the Tuesday, April 15, City Council meeting.
Avalon has been in Stage 1 water rationing since June 2013. Stage 1 rationing regulated the use of water for such things as watering lawns and washing cars. Stage 2 rationing will reduce the percentage of water that Avalon residents and businesses are allowed to use.
Hilda Delgado, Edison’s regional manager for public affairs, said that Edison was expecting Stage 2 rationing to begin in June based on the current reservoir forecast.
Jeff Lawrence, an Edison senior project manager, said that at full capacity, the Thompson Reservoir can hold 1,000 acre feet of water.
According to information provided by Edison, the Thompson Reservoir water level as of April 10 was 385 acre feet. The previous measure, taken on April 2, was 388 feet. Stage 2 rationing, based on past water usage, becomes automatic when the water level to less than 300 acre feet. According to Lawrence, the expected lack of rain and the expected increase in water use during the tourist season would make water rationing necessary.
Avalon is currently in Stage 1, which restricts some types of water usage. In Stage 2, residents would have to reduce water usage by 25 percent. In Stage 3, water usage would have to be reduced by 50 percent. In Stage 4, the water usage would have to be reduced by 75 percent.
Lawrence said the baseline for rationing would be based on water usage for the 12 months prior to the start of Stage 1 rationing. He said Edison discouraged people from increasing their water usage in an attempt to increase their water allotment for Stage 2.
Lawrence said that during Stage 2, a first offense for exceeding water usage would result in a written warning on a customer’s bill. On the second offense, a water restriction device would be installed for at least three days that could reduce a customer’s water flow by up to 50 percent. Lawrence said the device could be removed for a $200 fee. On a third offense, the water restriction device would be installed and would remain until the end of Stage 2 rationing.
Lawrence said that the California Public Utility Commission has asked utility companies to revise their “tariffs,” meaning their rules for water rationing. He said there would be a public hearing on Edison’s proposed changes for Avalon. He said the hearing would probably be held sometime at the end of May.
Lawrence said rain was expected next winter, so Catalina might not be in Stage 2 for long.
Outgoing Mayor Bob Kennedy, who appeared as mayor for the last time Tuesday night, asked if Edison had drafted plans for bringing water to the Island by barge?
Lawrence said no. He said Edison was trying to avoid barging water.
Kennedy asked what water resources was Edison looking at.
Lawrence said that right now, Edison was focusing on preparing for Stage 2 rationing.
He said Edison would be looking at all options.
Kennedy said Edison should have started there months ago.
“Where does this community sit if the faucets are turned off?” Kennedy asked. “How do you measure that?”
“That’s, that’s obviously not an option,” Lawrence said.
“That’s the only option when you don’t look at additional resources,” Kennedy said.
He said Edison was talking about barging water, desalination technology and digging additional wells. He said Edison should have been talking about those things months ago.
Lawrence said Edison has been looking at all those options.
Council Member Oley Olsen said Avalon was using an average of 30 acre feet of water a month. He said Avalon could be in Stage 3 water rationing by September.
According to Lawrence, Edison was expecting to benefit from water rationing to avoid going into Stage 3.
Wayne Griffin, president and CEO of the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce, said he believed that a lot of people would find it difficult to reduce water usage by 25 percent, let alone 50 percent.
He said that in the 1970s, when Avalon was last in Stage 3 rationing, event the finest restaurants in Avalon were serving food on paper plates with plastic utensils because they didn’t have enough water. He said hotels were asking people to bring their own linen and towels.
“So Phase 3 is a really serious issue in terms of tourism, which affects city revenues … which affects lots of things,” Griffin said.
Olsen said that he was running the Atwater Hotel in 1978, when Avalon was last in Stage 3 rationing. He said the hotel’s allotment at the time was 11 gallons per customer per day.
Griffin also said that if conservation is successful, Edison won’t be able to meet its revenue needs and will ask for a rate increase.
“I mean, it’s a vicious cycle that has a no-win end game,” he said.
He said the community can’t plan for it drought after drought after drought.
Griffin also questioned the use of the Thompson Reservoir water level as the basis for deciding when rationing would take place. He said it was his understanding that Avalon doesn’t draw water from the Thompson Reservoir, but from wells under the reservoir. He asked why rationing was based on an artificial water level.
Lawrence said the reservoir wasn’t his area of expertise and he did not want to give an answer that might be inaccurate.
Council Member-Elect Joe Sampson, speaking before being sworn in as a new council member, said Islanders already conserve water and that it was a way of life to them. He said he was concerned about guests coming over to the Island. Sampson said Avalon had huge Santa Catalina Island Company projects coming, but Avalon didn’t have the water to serve the community right now.
Later, Anni Marshall was sworn in as the new mayor. Sampson and Cinde M. MacGugan-Cassidy were sworn in as the new council members.
