Water District requests 15 percent use reduction

There was one question on everyone’s mind at the joint meeting of the Sonoma City Council and the Valley of the Moon Water District Board of Directors on Wednesday evening: “How can we use water wisely?”
Milenka Bates, Sonoma City Public Works Director, and Krishna Kumar, general manager of the Valley of the Moon Water District, led the combined elected officials and the audience through a presentation outlining current water issues, including availability and costs of maintaining and planning for future needs in the valley.
After previous dismal supply projections for the upcoming summer, the overall picture has improved. Recent rains have halved the previously projected conservation needs of 30 percent. “We should be in fine shape this summer provided we stick to a 15 percent conservation effort,” reported Bates. “The idea is to use water wisely by using proper irrigation techniques, watching your water usage, requesting a water smart home audit and utilizing some of the programs of the Sonoma County Water Agency. Half of all water usage in the summer is outdoor use.”
The programs available from the SCWA include Saturday workshops at the community garden, water education in schools, appliance incentives for low water use and the ongoing rebate program, “cash for grass.” Bates’ goal is to try to make water conservation fun through programs and incentives.
Kevin Booker, principal engineer for the SCWA gave a report on the agency’s “Sonoma Valley Recycled Water Project North Bay Water Reuse Program,” explaining that the local project is a part of the larger North Bay effort looking at water issues around San Pablo Bay. He is working on the potential for 300 acre-feet of grey water (recycled water) that is generated locally. This would be beneficial for watering all fields and golf courses in the valley, both major users of the precious commodity.
Bates explained that there are currently two projects in the valley seeking federal stimulus money. One is requesting $500,000 to replace pipes and mains in the Boyes Hot Springs area and another for $450,000 to replace mains in the Trinity Oaks area. The allocation of the stimulus money is still being debated at the federal level.
After the presentation, officials and audience members had numerous questions about the long-term planning for water in the valley. It was reported that the Dry Creek bypass pipeline (a more efficient and cost effective way of transferring water down the valley) will not be completed until 2018 at the earliest because of a variety of environmental and habitat enhancement issues. Councilmember Joanne Sanders asked, “Are there other possibilities for us? Continued use of water from the north is not a sustainable situation. Not watering lawns is a noble goal but we must look at other possibilities. Both agencies should start looking for new water sources. The water needs to come locally, not from the north.” This led to comments about limiting development and searching the valley for potential reservoir water storage sites. “We must try to move toward self-sufficiency with more storage for ourselves,” agreed councilmember Steve Barbose.
The discussion then turned to limiting development in the valley, which has been a recurring and debated topic at previous city council meetings. Mayor Ken Brown ended the discussion by saying that he has talked about an open moratorium on development but has not received support from other council members.
Bates has some simple tips for water conservation: install low flow showerheads and aerators, fix leaks, install an efficient irrigation system, and call 547.1910 for a free Water Smart Home Program evaluation. She expressed interest in comments and suggestions, which can be e-mailed to water@vom.com.
The council meeting was adjourned in memory of Bob Cannard Sr., who was, according to Brown, responsible for planting 325,000 trees in his lifetime, “something we should all be aware of.”