"It really depends on what next winter brings," said Glendale Water Services Administrator Peter Kavounas said. "If next year is below normal, then we'll probably have to go to some sort of mandatory level of conservation."
For now, there's enough water to meet demand, but a drop saved this year is a drop banked for next, water officials say.
The Crescenta Valley Water District and Glendale Water and Power will be rolling out a broad public education campaign as they strive to conserve 10% of their water this season.
Foothill Municipal Water District — which supplies Crescenta Valley with most of its water — is also planning a massive campaign. In addition, board members for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California —the agency that provides all of the foothills' water and most of Glendale's — will consider a $6.3 million multi-media conservation campaign during their meeting today.
Officials of all four agencies said they hope their respective conservation goals will trickle down and add up to useful savings for next year.
Fish throw in a monkey wrench
The trickle-down effect took an ironic twist this week after the deaths of hundreds of protected fish at pumping stations continued to put the brakes on billions of gallons of water needed by districts serving millions of Southern Californians.
An initial 10-day operational shutdown at estuary pumps was extended indefinitely as state and federal officials try to spare as many smelt as possible.
The pumps were turned off May 31 after more than 100 of the tiny fish — which reside in the fragile interface of the delta's salt and freshwater — were found dead at several stations over the past few weeks. The estuary, together with the Sierra Nevada snow pack, provides the majority of freshwater for the State Water Project.
