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CARLSBAD: City to consider water cutback exemptions
By BARBARA HENRY - Staff Writer | ∞
CARLSBAD ---- In order to reduce Carlsbad's water consumption rates, yet keep the city's economy humming, the City Council may consider exempting some businesses from a water conservation ordinance that is being considered.
At their monthly workshop session Wednesday, council members said that they might make local biotech companies and farming operations exempt, saying they must have ample water to operate.
When the proposed water cutbacks might occur is still up in the air.
Carlsbad, like most of San Diego County, doesn't produce its own water. Instead, a regional water authority pipes in drinking water from Northern California and the Sacramento River.
The state has had low rainfall rates two years in a row, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared that California is in a drought. City officials say they expect the regional water authority to order some level of cutbacks in water use in 2009.
Anywhere from late January to early June has been mentioned as a start date, Mark Stone, director of the Carlsbad Water District, said at Wednesday's workshop session.
"So we should try to have as much as possible (of the new ordinance) in place by January," City Manager Lisa Hildabrand said.
"That would be my plan," Stone responded.
City staff members have been working for several months on a proposed ordinance and circulated a draft version at last month's council workshop session.
It calls for the creation of a series of water conservation stages, beginning with a "drought watch" where people would be asked to cut water usage by 10 percent. Level 4, or the "drought emergency" stage, would include reductions of more than 40 percent.
Fines and even water meter shutoffs could be ordered for those who refuse to comply.
Most of Carlsbad is served by the Carlsbad Water District. Two other water districts ---- Vallecitos and Olivenhain Municipal --- cover the southern part of town and those organizations also are considering issuing water use warnings, Stone said.
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Grump wrote on Oct 15, 2008 6:53 PM:I have got a better idea, overturn the ruling by the loony judge that cut our water supply because some stupid little fish swims into the pumps. I fail to see how that fish is more important than getting water to us humans here in Socal, and the population here grows and grows.
Yeah but... wrote on Oct 16, 2008 7:54 AM:"Farming operations" (read Carltas' Flower Fields) get a significantly reduced rate (30% at least) for agreeing to mandatory cutbacks. So, if the city exempts them from mandatory cutbacks, does it also exempt them from reduced rates? I'll bet you won't see the answer to that reported in the NCT.
Hey Grump wrote on Oct 16, 2008 9:41 AM:An even better idea. Have people that live where there is water quit sending it to the people that live where there is no water. Then the grumpy problem will disappear instead of the "stupid" little fish.
Larry wrote on Oct 16, 2008 10:06 AM:Better make sure the new golf course is exempt as well. I'd hate to see this "Crown Jewel" of Carlsbad go dry. Perhaps the city council members who supported the golf course would be willing to accept more severe cutbacks.
Derek wrote on Oct 16, 2008 10:53 AM:"City staff members have been working for several months on a proposed ordinance... It calls for the creation of a series of water conservation stages... Fines and even water meter shutoffs could be ordered for those who refuse to comply."
Obviously they don't understand how free-market principles could be used for conservation without requiring a new water police force. When the water supply is low, raise the price. Simple as that. Let everyone use as much water as they can afford. This would have the added benefit of making the desalination project more cost effective.
Hey Larry wrote on Oct 16, 2008 11:37 AM:Do you know what "non-potable" means? You don't have to like or support the golf course, but don't make lame references where they aren't applicable. It isn't becoming.
Desal wrote on Oct 16, 2008 12:47 PM:This is the perfect time for the people passing these "ordinances" to be ahead of the curve and shut down the desalination project once and for all.
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