Water source reliability via the Bay Delta Conservation Plan was the topic at the July 9 Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council meeting. Residents of Porter Ranch may well wonder why a conservation plan for the Bay Delta between San Francisco and Sacramento would be of concern to us. Good question! Because, 44% of our water comes from the Bay Delta.
DWP Director of Water Resources, David Pettijohn began his presentation to the PRNC by identifying the source of San Fernando Valley water and prospective issues with water reliability. A significant concern is that should there be a 6.7 or larger earthquake in the Bay Delta, their levies would likely collapse, causing fresh and salt water to mix, thereby eliminating the source of 44% of our water for up to three years. A three year disruption is projected to cost Los Angeles County $240 billion. A solution supported by Governor Brown includes building tunnels underneath the bay to transport water past this potential trouble spot while also working to protect fish and restore habitat. Other water conveyance solutions are also being considered.
Meanwhile, the DWP is working on reducing reliance on the Bay Delta water supply by increasing the use of local groundwater, recycled water, conservation, and storm water capture. Los Angeles actually uses less water today than in 1970, despite having grown by one million residents. DWP expects that the Bay Delta project would cost ratepayers who use 1,200 cubic feet a month, about $3 a month.
Representing opposition to the project was Alexandra Nagy of Food and Water Watch. She commented that the Delta is 400 miles away, the project is harmful to farmers and fish, and the DWP should focus its time, money, and energy on local projects to increase our water supply and local employment. Further, she called for the Governor to complete a cost benefit analysis of this project, which she notes he has thus far refused to do.
PRNC Board Member Sue Hammarlund inquired about why the DWP did not pursue desalinization? Pettijohn replied that it has been considered, but plans for a pilot were stopped when water recycling and ground water replacement projects were determined to be less costly. The Board further discussed the project, but ultimately decided not to take a position on this very complicated issue with such limited knowledge on the subject.
The Bay Delta Conservation Project is expected to begin a public comment period in October, working towards a decision in the summer of 2014.
