Despite wetter winter, L.A. still faces drought, higher costs at the tap.

Byline: Rick Orlov, Staff Writer

Even with winter storms bringing the state's snowpack water level up to 81 percent of normal, state and local officials warned Thursday that drought conditions are continuing and Los Angeles residents will have to pay more for water this year.

The state Department of Water Resources' fourth snow survey of the winter season showed the state will continue to have water supply problems after two drought years.

"A below-average snowpack at this time of year, especially after two consecutive dry years, is a cause for concern," DWR Director Lester Snow said. "Our most critical storage reservoirs remain low and we face severe water supply problems in many parts of our state."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for drought conditions in February, directing state agencies to assist local jurisdictions in their water supply needs.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has adopted a drought shortage water rate plan that is going to the City Council within the next week for consideration. Under the plan, beginning on July 1, water customers will face increases in their bills if they do not reduce consumption by 15 percent, officials said.

If they do not reduce their water use, the average bimonthly water bills are expected to increase from $83.52 to $92.35. If they do reduce consumption by 15 percent, the bills are expected to drop to $71.59.

Also pending is the next stage of the water conservation program that would limit outdoor plant watering to two days a week.

DWP General Manager H. David Nahai said the state report was not a surprise and mirrored his agency's own findings in the Eastern Sierras, where snowpack was at 71 percent of normal as of April 1.

"This confirms that the water crisis is very much with us," Nahai said. "There is little here to celebrate.

"We will have to continue to implement the various water conservation programs the city has approved."

Los Angeles does not rely solely on the state Water Project for its supplies of water. It can also draw on its own Los Angeles Aqueduct, its own reservoirs and the groundwater system.

"The city is in somewhat better shape because of the aqueduct and our other supplies, but we still have had two years of drought," Nahai said. "There is little comfort to be found here, other than that our residents have already reduced consumption by 5 percent."

Nahai said he will bring the Board of Water and Power Commissioners an incentive plan to encourage residents to install drought-resistant plants to help reduce water use.

The Metropolitan Water District, the agency that supplies water to most of Southern California, already has announced it was reducing the amounts it would have available and is preparing to increase its water rates as well.

MWD spokesman Bob Muir said the board will meet later this month to make a final determination on how much water to supply its member agencies - covering an area from Santa Barbara to San Diego - as well as the cost of the water.

State water officials said the problem has been the number of years California's water supply has declined.

Lake Oroville, the state's principal storage reservoir, is at 56 percent of capacity and similar problems exist in other reservoirs.

Adding to the state's water supply problems are court orders limiting access to the Sacramento Delta to protect endangered fish.

Local water agencies, such as the DWP, have been updating their water management plans and have gone to voluntary and mandatory water rationing plans. Los Angeles already requires residents to cut back on water use, with limits on when they can water lawns and prohibitions on washing driveways and restaurants automatically serving water to customers.

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