The Well #4 pump-lowering project was completed and production started June 14. From 2007 until Well #4 went dry last August, it and Well #6 together pumped all the groundwater to which we were entitled and could easily meet our highest daily demand. They can do so again.
Without Well #4, we could not pump all the groundwater to which we are entitled this year. That is especially critical to meeting our mandatory conservation plan to avoid buying any imported water from Calleguas in 2022. By implementing that plan we can avoid the much more severe use restrictions that come with imported water, which is also very expensive and not actually available in the quantities we might want. So, let’s celebrate the return of Well #4 and get busy reducing our water use by 20-25% compared to last year.
The Well #4 story is recounted in this series of posts. The pump-lowering project may not be a long-term solution. It is a new pump in an old well that is getting out of alignment, which may cause faster wear. The general manager estimated that its useful life may be as short as 5-10 years. There is also the possibility that deeper water will be of lower quality and the likelihood that the groundwater level will continue to decline unless we have a series of rainy years. Thus, we may need a new well in the future, and maybe we should be planning for that now. However, having a third well now–or two more wells now–would not entitle us to pump any more water now. We still need to reduce consumption 20-25% because all our wells will have to be shut off when we have pumped our entire annual allocation.
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I’m grateful to hear about Well #4 being back online. That said, I struggle with the messaging (from Crestview) that “each shareholder needs to cut back x% from 2021”. I’m all for conservation, and it’s clear that we all need to do our part this year, but blanket year-over-year reduction mandates punish shareholders that have undertaken conservation efforts in prior years and may be overly easy on the highest water consumers that have been less aggressive with prior year conservation efforts.
I emailed Crestview with a suggestion a month ago that I’ll summarize here (since Crestview didn’t even have the courtesy to respond). Our SCE bills show how each customer’s electrical consumption compares to similar homes in the area. It is a useful metric in an environment where most consumers have already taken steps to reduce electrical demand but may want to take additional conservation steps. It’s “keeping up with the Joneses”, conservation style.
I think it would be very helpful to see how each household’s monthly water use, on a per-share basis, compares to other homes in the Crestview service area for the same month period. If my water use per share is in the top quarter of homes, my 2022 conservation strategy will be materially different than if I’m in the lowest quarter of homes. Perhaps folks in the top quarter of homes even get a free visit to help identify water saving options or help with sprinkler system tuning.
I’m happy to do my part to reach our community’s conservation goals, but I feel it’s important that the biggest water users (per share) be made aware of their above-average consumption and Crestview has the data to help make that happen.
Agree. My water Bill received in June with rate increases was $59 including the $25 for infrastructure and salaries. I have 3 shares. 1 acre and 3,500 sq foot structure.
I am expected to reduce 25%. I have no lawn . My neighbors have lawns and continue to pour water all hours everyday!