PWP, State and Local Leaders Ask for 20% More Water Conservation

Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) General Manager Phyllis E. Currie Friday, January 31, 2014, called on all Pasadena residents and business owners to voluntarily cut water use by 20 percent, joining the call from state and local leaders to step up water conservation efforts.

“Our customers have always rallied during emergencies, conserving water citywide with impressive results,” Currie said. “We’re counting on Pasadena to take the lead to permanently end water waste and support sustainable solutions.”

On Jan. 17, 2014, California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. declared a statewide Drought of Emergency, urging consumers to cut water use by 20 percent and directing state officials to take all necessary actions to prepare for the severe drought conditions. As a result, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced that effective today, Jan. 31, 2014, all of its State Water Project deliveries throughout California would be cut to zero for the year. The decision affects 29 public water agencies that buy State Water Project water for about 25 million Californians.

PWP, which receives about 18 percent of its supply from the State Water Project through the Metropolitan Water District, is closely monitoring the situation and is developing additional response plans as necessary. Due to strategic investments in water storage, PWP does not expect the cutbacks to have an immediate impact on customers, but there could be long-term impacts if the drought persists beyond 2014.

PWP invites the public to discuss state and local water concerns during its upcoming forum, “Your Water: The Big Picture,” beginning at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Pasadena Convention Center. Participants can register for this free session online or by calling (626) 744-3715. The event looks at long-term water supply challenges and potential solutions. PWP will also provide information about its conservation measures and customer incentive programs.

California faced its driest year on record in 2013, with snowpack levels at 15 percent of normal as of Jan. 31, 2014 and reservoirs along the Colorado River and elsewhere depleted or drying up.

PWP’s proactive water conservation and drought response includes information outreach through traditional and social media outlets; enforcement of Pasadena’s permanent waste prohibitions and temporary increases in rebate levels for many conservation incentive programs starting March 1, 2014.

In addition, PWP’s four-tier water rate encourages conservation design with progressive water rates with the highest tier costing consumers about four times the lowest tier. The structure has been in effect since 2009 and has helped achieve about a 17-percent reduction in per-capita water consumption since 2007.

PWP’s website, www.PWPweb.com/SaveWater, offers rebate applications and many resources, including the popular turf-replacement program, conservation tips, water-smart gardening guides, free workshops, how-to videos and a list of permanent water-waste prohibitions. PWP’s 25-year Water Integrated Resource Plan, adopted in 2010, is helping to cut Pasadena’s reliance on imported water by boosting local supplies, increasing conservation and using recycled water for irrigation.

For more information about PWP, visit www.PWPweb.com or follow the department on Twitter@PWPnews. For more information about the City, visit www.cityofpasadena.net, follow on Twitter@PasadenaGov or call the Customer Service Center at (626) 744-7311.