Newport meets water-saving goal in July

While Newport Beach reached its monthly water-reduction goal in July, the municipality still has a ways to go if it wants to meet state water officials’ mandates.

The State Water Resources Control Board ordered Newport to cumulatively cut 28% of its water use from June to February compared with those months in 2013, but only managed 21% in June.

In July, the city reduced its water use by 28%, but according to George Murdoch, the city’s general manager for utilities, the city is not in the clear yet.

“We’re heading in the right direction, but we still need to conserve,” he said.

Data released from the State Water Resources Control Board on Thursday show that Newport Beach’s cumulative water savings from June and July is 24.4%, just 3.6% short of its state mandated goal.

Since Newport, which serves 66,219 customers, did not meet its goal in June, the city will have to sharply reduce over the next several months to make up for it.

“I’m hopeful that we will meet the target in August and beyond,” Murdoch said.

In an effort to reduce water consumption, the City Council in May moved to Level 3 conservation, meaning violators can face fines up to $500 for not slashing water use. The city also instituted specific watering days for neighborhoods.

While Newport was previously hesitant to fine water wasters, code enforcement officers issued 178 warning notices — which don’t result in a monetary fine — and 28 citations ranging from $100 to $500 in July.

Often warning notices and citations result from neighbors telling on one another for watering on the wrong days, Murdoch said. Next, officials are considering mailing citations to residents based on individual homeowners water use.

“We don’t want to do it, but we have to do it,” he said.

Californians surpassed June’s conservation rate and reduced water use by 31.3% in July, exceeding Gov. Jerry Brown’s 25% mandate for a second consecutive month since the emergency conservation regulation took effect.

Despite the sweltering summer heat, most Orange County cities achieved their reduction goals in July, data show.

Irvine Ranch Water District, which missed its goal of 16% in June, exceeded its reduction mandate in July. The water district, which serves 387,501 customers in parts of Newport, Irvine and unincorporated areas, reduced its water use by 17.2% in July.

Mesa Water District, which serves 108,000 customers in Costa Mesa and portions of Newport, exceeded its 20% reduction mandate for the second consecutive month.

In July, Mesa Water reduced its water use by 25.1%. In June, the agency decreased use 26%, state data show.

In May, Mesa Water moved to Level 1 conservation, which designated Tuesdays and Saturdays — before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. — for watering and stopped the use of potable water on street median landscapes.

“Millions of conscientious Californians are the real heroes here — each stepping up to help local water resources last longer in the face of a historic drought with no certain end date,” said Felicia Marcus, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board.