LOWER LAKE — Lower Lake is facing a water shortage. Consumers are currently being asked to reduce their water usage by 10 percent.
“What we need immediately from the population is a 10 percent reduction in water use,” said Lower Lake County Waterworks District 1 General Manager Al Tubbs. “A 15-percent reduction would be better so we don”t have to go into any drastic water conservation measures.”
The water district”s board of directors held a special meeting on Aug. 22 during which an ordinance was passed imposing a temporary moratorium on the allowance of new service line connections as well as on the sale of water to consumers outside the district.
Below-average rainfall has resulted in a lack of ground water aquifer recharge. Full production rates of the district”s wells are presently insufficient to fill the district”s storage tanks and are not meeting the current demand of the district”s customers. The district serves about 850 consumers.
According to Tubbs, a 10-percent reduction in water use will save approximately 50,000 gallons of water per day. To give customers an idea of what is happening with the district”s water system, he explained the activity of one well. In January the well showed to be pumping 180 gallons per minute.
On Aug. 27, the same well showed to be pumping only 87 gallons per minute. “It”s really kind of scary when you come right down to it. If people don”t reduce, we will run out of water,” he said, adding that the shortage will last until the rain falls.
California Water Code section 350 provides that the board of directors may declare a water shortage emergency condition to prevail within the area it serves when it finds and determines that the ordinary demands and requirements of water customers cannot be satisfied without depleting the water supply to such an extent that there would be insufficient water for human consumption, sanitation and fire protection. The emergency ordinance will remain in effect until the district”s water supply is restored to adequate levels.
Lower Lake County Waterworks District 1 customers can expect a letter with their next monthly statement addressing the water shortage that asks for immediate water conservation by consumers.
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