A dry fall may mean less water from the state water project for Southern California. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce tells us that San Diego could be on the short end for water next year.
The California Department of Water Resources says its initial allocation for water delivery to State Water Project contractors next year will be reduced 25 percent. That means the Metropolitan Water District, which supplies 75-percent of San Diego County's water, may have less to send our way.
Ken Weinberg is the director of water resources for the San Diego County Water Authority .
Weinberg : Going into the year we're kind of in a somewhat precarious position really relying on what's going to happen between December and February to really tell the story of the kind of water year we're going to have.
He says the amount of water the state makes available next year could increase or decrease depending upon how much rain and snow falls over the next three months.
Weinberg : You know heading into this year we're looking at the potential for very dry conditions which is going to reduce our water supplies and require us to take water out of storage and to buy transfer water from the Central Valley, Northern California. And it really you know, we're going to have to conserve this 20 gallons a day per day per person to really get through this coming year.
He's referring to the 20-gallon challenge -- the water authority wants each county resident to reduce daily water use by 20 gallons. Other water agencies throughout the state have urged similar voluntary conservation measures because of the dry spell and potential cutbacks from the Sacramento River Delta to protect an endangered fish.
The DWR says if we have another dry winter there will be even more severe cutbacks. That could mean mandatory restrictions and higher water bills next year.
Ed Joyce, KPBS News.
