Cake and ice cream are about to be served, or should be.
The tasty treat is a reward to model Culver City residents in gratitude for their sterling response to the drought.
With the aid of data provided by the Golden State Water Co. (see Culver City Water Supply in AF by Quarter_2013 to 2015), Public Works Director Charles Herbertson said that Culver City residents are eligible to take three bows:
- For using less water the first two quarters of 2015 than they did in 2014,
- For using less water the first two quarters of 2015 than they did for the same period in 2013, their state-assigned baseline for complying with current drought restrictions, and
- Residents beat their assigned goal of 16 percent by reducing present water usage by 16.5 percent over the amount consumed in 2013.
In head-to-head comparisons, in the first quarter of 2015, Culver City used 5 percent less than in 2013.
But then, as Mr. Herbertson pointed out, the state and water providers began elevating their voices about the drought when spring arrived.
Culver City responded admirably through the April-May-June period.
“It is very good news that we already are hitting our target,” Mr. Herbertson said.
“I don’t want people to stop there, though. We have a serious problem.
“People are obviously responding,” he said. “It is very encouraging we were able to reduce our water usage that much that quickly. I didn’t think it would be that fast. People have gotten the word. They understand the message. They realize the seriousness of our situation.”
Mr. Herbertson believes the bulk of the credit perhaps should go to those who have flatly stopped watering their lawns or have severely cut back on the volume of watering.
“They are adhering to the two-days-a-week limit, which now is official,” he said.
