SR - ORD-05-14 - SECOND READINGORDINANCE NO. 05-14
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ORANGE ESTABLISHING A WATER
CONSERVATION AND WATER SUPPLY
SHORTAGE PROGRAM AND REGULATIONS
THERETO.
WHEREAS, a reliable minimum supply of potable water is essential to the public
health, safety and welfare of the people and economy of the southern California region; and
WHEREAS, the State of California is experiencing record dry conditions, with 2014
projected to become the driest year on record; and
WHEREAS, the two main sources of import water, the Colorado River and Northern
California, for the City's major import water supplier, Metropolitan Water District of
Southern California, face continuing drought conditions; and
WHEREAS, Orange County depends on imported water from Northern California
and the Colorado River to meet approximately half of its supply demand; with the balance of
the county's demand being met by local groundwater via a large basin under north and central
Orange County, smaller basins in south Orange County, and through local water recycling and
water use efficiency; and
WHEREAS, a statewide state of emergency due to drought conditions was declared
by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., effective January 17,2014; and
WHEREAS, On July 15, 2014, the State Water Resources Control Board approved
an emergency regulation to ensure water agencies, their customers and state residents
increase water conservation in urban settings or face possible fines or other enforcement; and
WHEREAS, Metropolitan has declared a Water Supply Alert calling for all cities,
counties, member agencies and retails water agencies to implement extraordinary water use
efficiency measures, adopt and implement local drought ordinances to preserve regional
storage reserves; and
WHEREAS, a reliable minimum supply of potable water is essential to the public
health, safety and welfare of the people and economy of the Southern California region; and
WHEREAS, Southern California is a semi -arid region and is largely dependent upon
imported water supplies. A growing population, climate change, environmental concerns, and
other factors in other parts of the State and western United States, make the region highly
susceptible to water supply reliability issues; and
ITEM: 7 , / DATE OF MEETING: /