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closeBy Amanda Rice
At the August meeting of Cambria Community Services District directors, I made a formal request of the board: schedule a public hearing to reconsider the need for the Water Code Section 350 water shortage emergency declaration.
It was Nov. 15, 2001 (that is 2,850 days ago at this writing, Mr. Funke-Bilu). The board found “that the ordinary demands of water consumers (could not) be satisfied without depleting the water supply to the extent that there would be insufficient water for human consumption, sanitation, and fire protection.” (CA water code §350-359)
State law also requires:
Regulations restricting water use to “the greatest public benefit,” especially “domestic use, sanitation, and fire protection.”
Those regulations must “be and remain in full force and effect during the emergency and until the supply of water available has been replenished or augmented.”
The restrictions may include the right to deny new service connections.
Here is a brief list of things the District has done since 2001 to decrease potential demand and ensure enough water for domestic use and fire protection:
• Developed and approved a water master plan;
• Had a change of three board members;
• Added 700,000 gallons of storage for firefighting (1,700,000 gallons total), to minimize chances of dry faucets in homes if a fire and an accident like the recent Cornwall/Sheffield break happen at the same time;
• Increased the water pressure up to 250 percent for better firefighting ability;
• Implemented a rebate program for low-flow toilets and washers (almost 300 washer rebates issued, funding now eliminated);
• Installed water efficient pre-rinse valves in all area restaurants and commercial kitchens;
• Reduced the number of potential connections through promotion of lot mergers (352 lots reduced by merger to date);
• Attempted (unsuccessfully) to make agreements with landowners with senior water rights;
• Analyzed additional water source options and is moving toward building a desalination plant; and
• Installed new electronic meters for almost all customers, which reduced unaccounted for water loss.
Base water use in new construction (both indoor and outdoor use) is much lower than when the water wait list was closed in 1990. When combined with county policies and ordinances limiting the rate of growth here to zero (0) percent through June 2012, Cambria’s water supply is protected from depletion by new connections allowed by the county for at least 10 years. (County permits for new residence will be limited to less than 2.3 percent, but will more likely be 1 percent of current housing units).
It would be better to look at this now, rather than discovering ourselves in the expensive and awkward position of defending policies that we didn’t realize are outdated, inconsistent or without firm footing.
Please join me in asking the board to reconsider the emergency declaration at a public hearing at the upcoming CCSD meeting on Oct. 1. As we approach eight years in an emergency, and in light of the many improvements in our system, reevaluating the board’s decision will be beneficial for everyone, regardless of the outcome.
E-mail Cambria homeowner Amanda C. Rice, chairman of the North Coast Advisory Council, at amanda@about cambria.com
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