Gov. Schwarzenegger's proclamation June 4 of a statewide drought set the stage for a spate of actions to curb water waste.

Schwarzenegger signed an executive order that encouraged local water districts and agencies to promote water conservation and take aggressive, immediate action to reduce water consumption locally and regionally.

The Metropolitan Water District declared a Water Supply Alert June 10.

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Photo By Dan Elliott

John Rossi, left, general manager of the Western Water District and Gary Syfers, unit manager of the Mills water treatment plant.

The resolution called on local agencies to achieve "extraordinary conservation by adopting and enforcing drought ordinances and other measures."

According to the California Department of Water Resources, 2007 was one of the driest precipitation years on record for Southern California.

Statewide precipitation for the water year to date is 15% below average but the depletion in soil moisture from prior dry years resulted in reduced runoff.

Despite water shortages on several fronts, officials say water waste continues and the governor's declaration will help put the situation in focus.

"It's hard to get people to realize how serious things are," said John Rossi, general manager of Western Municipal Water District, which serves 24,000 retail and eight wholesale customers with water from both the Colorado River and the State Water Project.

"We've been talking about conserving water for years but it's more serious now; having the governor give a real leadership role makes it higher profile," he said.

Rossi was appointed to be chairman of the Riverside County Water Task Force in March. The Board of Supervisors established the panel to find ways to ensure reliable, sustainable and quality supplies in the county.

The Colorado River, a source of water for the region, is experiencing its eighth consecutive year of drought.

A federal judge in Fresno in August 2007 ordered a sharp reduction in water supplies from the state's two largest water delivery systems, the State Water Project and Central Valley Project, to protect the endangered Sacramento Delta smelt.

With the message loud and clear, Western will take aim at the biggest water wasters, including. home owners associations, school districts and residential customers.

"If we have to cut back, they'll be the ones who have to cut back first," Rossi said.

Western has begun to implement a drought allocation program.

Western this summer will devise fines and mandatory conservation measures, said Tedi Jackson, a spokeswoman for the municipality.

"We just had a meeting where the Eastern Municipal Water District spoke on ways homeowners associations could control water usage," said Michelle Hill, president of the Community Associations Institute Greater Inland Empire Chapter.

The institute is a national organization that provides resources and education to volunteer home owners who govern community associations.

Various conservation programs will save water and money spent by homeowners associations to maintain landscape, Hill said.

"HOAs themselves are interested in figuring out ways to reduce water usage," she said.

"They're paying the bills and can't afford it, so they're looking to local water districts and landscaping companies for advice on how to deal with water conservation."

Since 1991, Western Municipal has sought access to water behind Seven Oaks Dam in Mentone.

"The dam captures water, but we have to have a water rights permit," Rossi said. "We're talking upward of 150,000 acre-feet of water."

"We're still waiting for the permit, we're expecting it by early fall."

Meanwhile Western is pushing for the U.S. Interior Department to commit to spending $50 million for design and construction of the Riverside-Corona Feeder, which envisions 20 groundwater wells, groundwater treatment facilities, water storage and pumping facilities, and 28 miles of pipeline in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California are pushing the necessary legislation.

The Senate subcommittee on water and power heard the bill May 28, passing it for markup consideration and Senate floor action, said Phil Rosentrater, a spokesman for Western Municipal.

Applauding the drought declaration, Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries (R-Lake Elsinore) called for the release of state water bond proceeds to improve facilities and enhance resources. The region's agriculture industry has been hard hit with increased water rates and a mandatory 30% cut in agricultural water usage. Jeffries said in a June 4 release.

"As avocado, citrus and grape growers are forced to stop farming by these drought restrictions, we will see these orchards and vineyards replaced by homes and other developments that will only use more water," he said in the release.

Western is one of 26 agencies that have cut back on water for agriculture. The agencies purchase water through Metropolitan Water District's interim agriculture water program.

Metropolitan imposed a 30% reduction on the member agencies as a result of the Colorado River drought and Delta smelt ruling.

The interim agriculture water program delivers surplus water for agricultural purposes at a discount rate, in exchange for which growers agree to reduce imported water deliveries in times of shortage.