First published in the Sept. 8 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
Tuesday marked the first of 15 days during which more than 4 million Los Angeles County residents are to further curb their outdoor watering as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California performs emergency repairs to a pipe that sources water to many throughout the region.
La Cañada Flintridge residents, who were already asked to limit outdoor irrigation to three days a week, were urged by Foothill Municipal Water District, or FMWD, officials last month to not water their lawns or wash vehicles from Sept. 6-20 as a pipe from the Colorado River Aqueduct is repaired.
“We’re asking the people to defer irrigating their lawns,” said Nina Jazmadarian, administrative manager of FMWD, at an LCF City Council meeting Aug. 2.
The pipeline leak was discovered in April and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, or MWD, temporarily fixed the issue. However, the water flow declined from 750 cubic feet per second to 525 and the agency is moving swiftly to repair the pipe as the region faces severe to extreme drought.
With the pipeline shut off for just over two weeks, Southern California will rely on water from the State Water Project, which delivers water from Northern California to water-scarce areas throughout the state, but even that source is limited as state officials slashed the amount of water allocated to 5% — a figure that is 10 percentage points fewer than the previous.
“We’re taking water from the State Water Project and from people that really need it,” said Jazmadarian, who encouraged LCF residents to take advantage of several rebates offered by MWD and FMWD that will help conserve water. “We have to protect the people that live around us, and so anything that people can do to conserve water would be appreciated.”
Residents will need to adjust their sprinkler systems to adhere to the temporary restrictions, and Mayor Keith Eich suggested that those unsure of how to operate their watering systems should coordinate with their landscapers as well as their water supplier.
The City Council adopted a resolution last month supporting the call to action from the local water suppliers.
“We’re supporting all of the water conservation efforts of the Foothill Municipal Water District,” Eich previously told the Outlook Valley Sun. “As a partner of theirs, we will help spread the message. We already know the demand for water is higher than the supply, and so residents and businesses must do their part to find ways to mitigate this. These 15 days are critical.”
