Irvine water reserve in better shape than most, official tells council

The Irvine City Council received a positive report Tuesday on drought preparedness as the state endures a continuing dry spell approaching historic proportions.

California is deep into its third year of drought conditions, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, adding that these have been the state’s worst three consecutive years of low precipitation in more than a century of record keeping.

“Orange County is in better shape than most other communities in Southern California because of our groundwater basin,” said Steve Sheldon, a director with the Orange County Water District, which serves the northern portion of the county from Irvine north to the Los Angeles County line.

The groundwater basin supplies roughly 72% to 75% of the area’s needs, with the remainder coming from the California Aqueduct and the Colorado River. The imported water, he noted, is supplied at about three times the cost of groundwater.

The district has been preparing for drought conditions for more than a decade with the installation of a water replenishment system, “which is the largest water recycling plant of its kind in the world,” Sheldon said. The system was developed in partnership with the Orange County Sanitation District.

As a result, along with further conservation and replenishment measures, the groundwater tables in the Orange County basin remain at a level above critical stage.

Despite the historic three-year low in precipitation levels, the Orange County table remains significantly higher in 2014 than in drought periods during the early 2000s, early 1990s and late 1970s.

“It goes up and down. We’re not necessarily at a very low level,” Sheldon explained to the council. “We are at a low level, and we all need to be cautious and concerned about that as we are in the drought.”

“Every drop conserved is a drop earned.”

Other council business included unanimous approval, with no discussion, of a special tax levy and bonded indebtedness for improvements in community area No. 5 within the Great Park. Heritage Properties owns the parcel and agreed to the special tax levy.

The final council meeting before Tuesday’s election saw none of the combative campaign rhetoric from the dais that had been an increasing source of acrimony in recent meetings.

Members of the public expressed various partisan complaints about campaign mailers and election signs on streets, getting passive expressions from council members.

The council body will be in transition by the next meeting, Nov. 12. The council majority, which includes Mayor Stephen Choi and Mayor Pro Tem Jeffrey Lalloway, are joined on a campaign slate that includes attorney Lynn Schott.

The slate trying to retake the majority includes veteran Councilman Larry Agran, who is up for reelection, Mary Ann Gaido, who is vying for the mayor’s seat, and Melissa Fox.

Small-business owner Katherine Daigle is also challenging for the mayor’s seat.

Councilwomen Christina Shea and Beth Krom are not running for reelection.

The ballot also includes Measure W, which calls for lifetime term limits for council members. Measure V calls for fiscal transparency policies regarding the Orange County Great Park.