Seal Beach staff is working on how the city will comply with mandatory statewide water conservation, according to Sean Crumby, director of Public Works.
In related news, improvements will be made to the Seal Beach water reservoir on North Gate Road.
The state’s water board on Tuesday, July 15, approved an emergency regulation requiring providers throughout the state to conserve water.
Crumby said Seal Beach received the notice on Thursday, July 17.
“Late last week, the city received resolution 2014-0038 from the State Water Resources Control board directing statewide actions of all water purveyors,” Crumby said.
“Currently, our staff is assessing methods of complying with the order and will begin actions as soon as foreseeable,” Crumby said. According to a water board press release, the emergency regulation will probably take effect around Aug. 1. According to the water board, the emergency regulation will remain in effect for 270 days unless it is extended because of the drought, which has now lasted three years.
North Gate Road reservoir
Crumby said staff was in the process of designing replacements for the roof and liner of the Seal Beach water reservoir located next to Fire State 48 on North Gate Road, outside Leisure World.
The reservoir lost its roof during what Crumby called a “wind event” in April.
Crumby said the city is working with the insurance company on claims related to the windstorm.
Crumby said the design work was nearly complete and that improvements to the reservoir will start in late summer or early fall.
The reservoir represents about half the city’s water infrastructure, Crumby said.
According to Crumby, shutting down the reservoir has had a significant impact on the city’s method of delivering water service.
He said staff has worked diligently to ensure that the city delivers the highest quality of water service.
“Reliability is a big thing for us,” Crumby said.
Drought impact
A UC Davis study, “Economic Analysis of the 2014 Drought for
California Agriculture” dated July 15, said California has lost $2.2 billion and 17,100 jobs as a result of the drought.
“Net water shortages for agriculture in this year’s drought most severely affect the Central Valley with at least 410,000 acres lost to fallowing, $800 million in lost farm revenues and $447 million in additional pumping costs,” the Davis study said.
“Coastal and Southern California regions are less affected by the 2014 drought, with approximately 19,150 acres fallowed, $10.1 million dollars in lost revenues and $6.3 million in additional pumping costs,” the study said.
“This year, groundwater may replace as much as 75 percent or 5 million acre-feet of the roughly 6.6 million acre-foot loss of available surface water,” the UC Davis study said.
According to a July 2014 report issued by the California Water Foundation, groundwater is used to meet at least 60 percent of the state’s water needs during dry years.
“Yet California is the only state without comprehensive statewide groundwater management programs,” the Foundation report said.
