BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jim Haselton, President Matt Disston, Vice President Mike Safranski, Director Ed Mandich, Director Glenn Acosta, Director GENERAL MANAGER Don Chadd

ON TAP

2007 Saving Water

If you had to reduce your water usage by 10%, could you? Water has always been there for us; we turn on the tap and out it comes. But what if you turned on the tap and nothing happened? This sounds drastic, and probably is not likely to happen. But what if……..

These rains did not change the long term projection of diminished water supply for southern California for the foreseeable future. The recent rains in the southern California area did help with reducing the demand for water used for irrigation purposes for a period of time, but not much more.

Remember, much of southern California depends on “imported water” for its water supply. This is true for all of south Orange County. Where do we obtain this imported water? Two sources: the Colorado River, and the State Water Project.

California’s “take” of Colorado River water has been reduced in recent years. Other states, which have rights to certain volumes of water from the Colorado River, have taken their share, leaving little if any excess for California to use.

Also, the Colorado River has been affected by the drought that has occurred in the states that feed the Colorado River. Less water has been supplied to the Colorado River from its tributaries due to decreased snow packs in the Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado regions.

The State Water Project, which is water delivered to Southern California from Northern and Central California, has also been impacted by decreased snow packs and water that results from the melted snow.

Added to this issue is the “Delta Smelt” decision – a court decision that says pumping of water at certain locations in the State Water Project adversely affects the population of the Delta Smelt, which is a tiny little fish which is unable to stay away from the pump intakes.

So back to the original question. If you had to reduce your water use by 10%, could you?

This question takes on more meaning as water agencies and municipalities receive information from Metropolitan Water District (MET), the large wholesaler water supplier and Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), the county intermediary water wholesaler, that water conservation resolutions and water allocation ordinances need to be in place for water districts and municipalities, if water supplies and reserves continue to be stretched thin.

Do You Own A Horse?

A good portion of the land in Trabuco Canyon Water District is zoned “equestrian.” This means a horse (or horses) may be kept on the property according to the county ordinance. This is true almost exclusively to the county area served by TCWD and does not apply to the cities of Lake Forest or Rancho Santa Margarita.

Horses can be big time water drinkers. In our climate on a hot summer day, a horse can consume in excess of 25 gallons water in a single day.

If you own horse property, or board your horse on property within the District, you should check to see if the property maintains reservoirs (small storage tanks) to supply water to the horse(s) in the event of water service interruption.

As we recently experienced on Santiago Canyon Road with the multiple line breaks (yes, more than one) in a three day period, water supply can be interrupted for more than one day at a time. This is not something the District desires to have happen, but old lines, adverse weather, parts supply, and dangerous working conditions can delay the repair of water lines.

As a reminder, when a customer contracts with the Water District for water service, the customer acknowledges that water service interruptions may happen, even for extended periods of time, planned or unplanned. It is the District’s sincere desire to have every customer “in water” all the time, but it is always best to have a plan for special circumstances. On site storage of water for horses is prudent planning.

Website Makeover

Be patient with us as we work on our website. We are attempting to bring a more contemporary look to the website, and make the information access a little easier for the customer. We are also attempting to include a wide array of photos from the variety of areas and communities the District serves. We welcome your thoughts on this attempt.

Water Conservation Resolution

The Board of Directors will consider a Water Conservation Resolution at its next board meeting. This is an effort being undertaken by most water districts and municipalities throughout the county. The draft Water Conservation Resolution does an excellent job of explaining the water supply problem to the southern California area. You are encouraged to read it for a better understanding of the water supply issue. It will be posted on the District website as soon as it is approved by the Board of Directors.

Water Awareness Month

May is Water Awareness Month. Watch for information concerning the District’s second annual Open House in celebration of Water Awareness Month.

The Regular Board Meeting is held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the District Office located at 32003 Dove Canyon Drive, Trabuco Canyon. The public is encouraged to attend.

Board Highlights

• January 16, 2008 – Recognized the former Board President for his accomplishments during his Presidency.
• Adopted the Treasurer’s Annual Statement of Investment Policy.
• Approved an agreement for providing sanitary services within O’Neill Regional Park.
• Received status updates relating to the Rose Canyon and Lang Wells Upgrades to Treatment Facilities and the Dry Season Water Recovery Project.