Water rationing will apparently not increase during the tourist season.
A representative of Southern California Edison told the Avalon City Council this week that the desalination plant is expected to provide the Island with enough drinking water until the rainy season.
Jim Luttjohann, CEO of the Catalina Chamber of Commerce, described this as “absolutely” good news.
Water rationing will apparently not increase during the tourist season.
A representative of Southern California Edison told the Avalon City Council this week that the desalination plant is expected to provide the Island with enough drinking water until the rainy season.
Jim Luttjohann, CEO of the Catalina Chamber of Commerce, described this as “absolutely” good news.
Catalina is currently in Stage 2 water rationing, which requires a 25 percent reduction in water use. According to Lawrence, April’s water use is down almost 43 percent from the 2012 baseline.
According to Jeff Lawrence, senior project manager for Edison, if Avalon continues to reduce water use by 40 percent, fresh water from the desalination plant will allow the community to stay out of Stage 3 rationing until the next rainy season.
Lawrence said the second desalination unit went into service Wednesday, April 20. Councilman Oley Olsen confirmed that the second plant was operational.
The second unit takes brine water from the first plant and converts it into drinking water.
Based on past water use, Edison has determined that summertime water use exceeds the output of the desal plant eight to 10 days out of the year. During those days, water is drawn from the Thompson Reservoir. Lawrence was reluctant to forecast specific dates when the demand would exceed the desal plant’s output.
Lawrence said that as of last Friday, April 15, the Thompson Reservoir water level measured 189 acre feet.
(As of Thursday, April 21, the water level measures 187 acre feet.)
Councilman Joe Sampson wants to encourage visitors to conserve more water. One idea he proposed was to give away a two-minute “hour glass” to encourage two-minute showers.
According to Lawrence, if the forecast changes, Edison would notify the public two months before Stage 3 rationing is implemented. Stage 3 rationing normally requires a 50 percent reduction from the baseline water use. However, as previously reported, Avalon might be subjected a lower reduction rate because Islanders have conserved more than was mandated.
Lawrence said that about 5 to 7 percent of water users were repeat violators of water restrictions.
Fines for violating water restrictions increased effective April 2. A second offense will result in the installation of a water flow restriction device. On a third offense, a customer who uses too much water will be fined $50. The fine will increase $50 each month up to $500.
