LA Times uses the ‘R’ word
Two days after I used the R word here, the Los Angeles Times published an article by Hector Becerra titled Southland to buy farmers’ water citing that Rationing may be headed this way.
But even with the purchases, officials said, another parched winter would probably mean that the giant water importer would have to reduce supplies to local communities.
Such a move would probably mean that cities would raise water rates even further and begin rationing programs, which have not occurred in Southern California since the early 1990s.
The MWD’s own rates to customers, which include 26 communities and water agencies across Southern California, are locked in until early 2009. But if there were a cutback in the water delivered to local communities — particularly those that get most of their water from the district — water bills could jump in some cities sooner rather than later.
“Local agencies would determine how to ration water throughout the area,” Kightlinger said, adding that they could raise rates.
Now that the R word has been breached by our local press, our city leaders need to begin seriously thinking about the M word, as in building Moratorium.
Here are some suggestions for our elected officials on how to go about managing the current water supply problem until it is resolved:
- Leave the water rates alone for households who are using less than 51,081 gallons per person. That 10% less than the average person today. These folks are already conserving.
- Penalize the true water wasters. If a household is using more than 56,575 per person, then charge those units at the highest tier rate possible.
- Limit water of all newly permitted high density housing to year 2050 allocations which I predict will be around 38,766 gallons per person. That includes those currently being built. Given that the average apartment or condo has 2.3 persons living in it, then cap their allotments at 89,161 gallons. Let’s see how smart smart growth can really be.
- Issue a moratorium that would prohibit the conversion of any zoning designation to another of greater density. (i.e. R-1 to R-2 or greater; C1 to R-2 or greater; M-1 to R-2 or greater; etc.)
Want to keep up with heady pace of construction downtown and elsewhere? Visit Angelenic for a huge list of housing units that are likely to further burden the water supply in southern California.
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