Fountain Valley residents and businesses have played an integral part in helping the City save a total of 526 million gallons of water and achieve a 21% reduction in water consumption over the nine month period from June 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016 (as compared to 2013). On the downside, the City’s monthly totals for November, December, January and February have been 17%, 15%, 18% and 9% respectively. Well below the City’s state mandated conservation goal.
Unfortunately, as reported in the Sacramento Bee, “The El Nino everyone was counting on to bail California out of the drought that has lingered for four years appears to have wimped out after a January just wet enough to get our hopes up.” Now with a dry and warm February behind us, we’ve lost some depth in our snow pack in the Sierras, and the states’ urban water districts have been unable to meet their conservation mandates for four straight months. This combination has caused the state to fall below the 25% reduction mandated by Governor Jerry Brown triggering an extension of the state’s drought regulations through October 2016.
January’s rain, which was successful in perking up vegetation, has left residents under the impression that the situation is improving. However, unless California gets “a miracle March and an awesome April,” as stated by the State Water Resources Control Board’s Felicia Marcus, the drought and its impacts will remain with Californians for some time to come.
“Fountain Valley needs to continue to do its part to conserve water,” stated Fountain Valley Public Works Director Mark Lewis. “Now, more than ever, everyone needs to dig deep and get back into the conservation mindset that successfully pulled the City through the past nine months.”