Second in a series. 

Charles Herbertson paused and exhaled before answering a sensitive question:

Are Culver City residents likely to feel pain from the about-to-be-enacted water restrictions stemming from the drought?

“In addition to tracking our own water usage (in city buildings), we also are going to try and track data on overall use in the city,” said the Public Works director.

“This will be pretty tricky.

“From year to year, and I am talking about the city as a whole, all businesses and residents, usage varies a lot depending on the level of economic activity.

“The fact we are bouncing off the bottom of a recession and businesses are coming back, more people are going to restaurants,” said Mr. Herbertson.

“More businesses are opening, too.

“So, naturally, water usage is going up.

“Even if these people are using conservation measures, water usage goes up.

“It is a hard question to answer,” said the Public Works director.

“To answer the question, I think everybody is going to feel the pain in one sense or another.

“As things get tighter, there will be some kind of financial impact.”