LA Water & Power Reports June Demand Down 11% YOY; Cool Weather Helped, But Restrictions Key

[hatrack]

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported Monday that water demand reached a 32-year low for the month of June, dropping 11% compared with the same period in 2008.

Jim McDaniel, the senior assistant general manager of DWP's water system, said hard work by ratepayers is paying off. Though experts said June was on average 4 degrees cooler than normal, McDaniel attributed the low demand to the new water restrictions. "You don't see those kinds of reductions just due to weather," he said.

The restrictions limit the use of sprinklers to 15 minutes a day on Mondays and Thursdays. No watering is allowed between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The DWP released the data days after lawmakers complained that the water-saving rules are killing lawns and gardens. Councilman Greig Smith proposed that DWP customers be permitted to use their sprinklers for up to eight minutes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. "The twice-a-week restrictions are turning people's lawns brown, which hurts home values in our neighborhoods," he said. Smith made his proposal Friday, the same day the council agreed to let golf courses, colleges and other large property owners water any day of the week as long as they reduce water consumption by 20%.

EDIT

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-water-rate28-2009jul28,0,346117.story

[Lebam in LA]

1. I let my backyard lawn die 2 years ago

I was having to water every day as the soil is dead and would not grow anything. I just couldn't justify wasting so much water for not. I don't know why we were not restricting water usage long before now. I guess they just couldn't see this coming.:banghead:

[kestrel91316]

2. We have had an unusually cool spring and summer so far. Today

the forecast for my area is only 85F!!!!! The normal for late July is over 100F, and 115F is not uncommon.

Totally overcast today so far. But I AM NOT COMPLAINING.