(April 17, 2015) -- Following-up on a story being closely followed by LBREPORT.com, the state Water Resources Control Board today (Sat. April 18) issued tweaked draft rules that give Long Beach a bit of a break by easing slightly the required percentage cut-back in potable water use by the Long Beach Water Dept. from an initially envisioned 20% to a 16% reduction..

The agency's draft rule (the agency's plan to achieve a 25% reduction in potable water use statewide ordered by Governor Brown) tweaked originally proposed tiers of mandated conservation (reductions) based on per capita water use by the state's 400+ urban water suppliers, a figure referred to as Residential Gallons Per Capita Day (R-GPCD). Under the agency's released/tweaked draft rule, The Long Beach Water Dept., the Lakewood Water Dept. and L.A. Department of Water and Power (among 42 total suppliers) will also have to cut back water use by 16% (instead of the originally envisioned 20%.) Seal Beach would be required to cut back by 8% (instead of the originally proposed 10%.)

Some cities will face a much greater challenge than Long Beach. The CA Water Service Co. of Palos Verdes, the Cities of Beverly Hills and Bakersfield are among 94 communities that will have to conserve 36% under the draft rule. Newport Beach and South Pasadena are at 32%.

The City of Compton, initially slated to have to reduce water use by the 20% (like Long Beach) filed sternly worded opposition comments and told the state agency that if the City were fined for exceeding its limit, its low income residents would face rate increases they couldn't afford. Under the draft rules, the state agency now says Compton will now have to cut back by 8%.

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The initially proposed 20% reduction didn't draw major opposition from Long Beach City Hall. Comments filed by City Manager Pat West (visible here) accepted the 20% figure but urged a tiered penalty (enforcement) structure instead of imposing a flat $10,000 per day penalty. City Manager West's comment said the fine "could hiner future conservation efforts by diverting scare [sic] funding to paying fines rather than towards water conservation infrastructure."

The state agency declined to accept LB's suggestion, but stated regarding enforcement:

Two additional tools are included in the draft regulation to both expedite the investigation of water suppliers not meeting their conservation standard and require the implementation of actions to correct this situation. A new informational order is proposed that water suppliers would be required to respond to or face immediate enforcement. The proposed conservation order can be used to direct specific actions to correct non-compliance. Both of these tools are tailored to the emergency circumstances that the State finds itself in as a result of continuing drought conditions. Violation of an information or conservation order carries a penalty of up to $500 per day.

The Board will work with water suppliers along the way that are not meeting their targets to implement actions to get them back on track. These actions could include changes to rates and pricing, restrictions on outdoor irrigation, public outreach, rebates and audit programs, leak detection and repair, and other measures. The Board may use its enforcement tools to ensure that water suppliers are on track to meet their conservation standards at any point during the 270 days that the emergency regulation is in effect.

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So...what does all this mean in the real world? The CA Water Resources Control Board offers this example [recall: LB has a 16% reduction level, not 12% as in the example below]

[State Water Resources Control Board text (fact sheet)] The Smith family of three learns that their water district must reduce water use by 12 percent. A manufacturing plant uses 20 percent of the water and cannot reduce its use. So, residents are told to reduce their use by 15 percent to meet the overall 12 percent target. The Smith family uses an average of 210 gallons per day (or about 70 gallons per person), 165 gallons for indoor use and 45 gallons for watering their small yard. To meet the 15% reduction requirement they must bring their total water use down to about 180 gallons per day. This is equivalent to about 60 gallons per person per day.

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To view the list of reductions proposed for all 411 water suppliers statewide, click here.

Disclosure: LBREPORT.com is among LB media outlets carrying an informational ad for the LB Water Dept.