Cambria Cuts Water Use by 36% in March; Lowest Production in 24 Years

Residents and businesses in the California coastal community of Cambria, one of the areas most affected by the state’s three-year drought, have cut their water consumption by more than a third through conservation efforts, it was announced today. Citing that water use in Cambria is at its lowest since 1991, the Services District Manager credited the community's conservation efforts for the success.

The Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) — which provides water, sewer, fire and open-space maintenance services — said production from its wells for March 2014 totaled 35 acre-feet, down 36% from 55 acre-feet in March 2013. An acre-foot is approximately 326,000 gallons, or roughly the amount of water used by seven average residences for an entire year. The March 2014 production total is the lowest production since March 1991. “This is a remarkable achievement for a community that already was notable for its frugal use of water,” said CCSD General Manager Jerry Gruber. “It testifies both to the strong community spirit here and to the success of the (CCSD) emergency conservation plan that was adopted January 30, 2014 by CCSD Board of Directors and took full effect in March.”

Current restrictions include prohibiting outdoor use of potable water, and monetary penalties on customers which are tied to excessive water consumption. In addition to imposing these restrictions, the CCSD is moving forward with an emergency water supply project to meet the community’s needs in the coming dry season. Along its main aquifer, just north of Cambria and south of San Simeon Creek Road, it is installing a temporary advanced water treatment facility to treat brackish water, which will be injected near the existing freshwater well field. It also refurbished 2 older wells and treatment equipment at its secondary aquifer, along the lower Santa Rosa Creek, to boost production there.

Cambria is located on the state’s Central Coast, where the prolonged drought has been especially severe. It is nearing the end of the 2013-2014 rainy season with only about one-third of its normal rainfall. This follows the previous year’s rainfall, which was slightly over one-half the normal yearly amount. The CCSD declared a water shortage emergency in January and is in the process of obtaining permits for its emergency brackish water supply project from county, state and resource agencies.

CCSD staff is working in collaboration with all regulatory agencies to involve them as early as possible, to expedite the permitting and regulatory review and approval processes. The CCSD Board and local legislators are also working cooperatively to raise conservation awareness and the need to complete the emergency water supply project as expeditiously as possible.