State rejects Las Virgenes request for more waterFree Access

LVMWD says water needed for severe fire hazard zone



DANGER ZONES–Areas in bright red indicate CalFire’s severe risk fire areas. Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village and Malibu are to the left.      Courtesy image

A request by the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District to obtain additional water supply for customers living in the area’s so-called high-risk fire zone has been rejected by the California Department of Water Resources, officials said.

The local water district made the request because its 122-square-mile customer service area is considered to be in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, a technical classification that comprises most of the densely population communities of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Approval of the request would have boosted the water supply available to LVMWD customers to keep their outdoor landscape greener during the drought and less prone to catching fire. It also would have made more supply available to firefighters.

The historic drought brings with it a reminder of the limited water supplies statewide and the difficult trade-offs at play.

“We’re frustrated by the decision, but understand the state’s challenge to balance the needs of more than 27 million people receiving water from the State Water Project, along with the real possibility of another dry year,” LVMWD general manager David Pedersen said.

SAFETY VALVE–Las Virgenes Municipal Water District relies on the Las Virgenes (Westlake) Reservoir not only for drought reserve, but also in case an emergency arises because of an earthquake.     Acorn file photo

“LVMWD is pivoting towards alternate strategies to help our communities be better prepared for the threat of wildfire. We are also actively investigating other options to supplement our limited supply,” he said.

Pedersen said it’s possible Las Virgenes could begin discussions with other Metropolitan Water District agencies that have the ability to pump groundwater and would be willing to share some of their supply. LVMWD sources no groundwater and relies solely on the State Water Project in the north for imported water.

On July 1, 2022, Metropolitan Water District, LVMWD’s wholesale supplier of water from the water project, requested an additional allocation of water for customers in Southern California’s Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones for the purpose of “human health and safety.”

But Metropolitan’s request was denied by the state’s Department of Water Resources in a July 29 joint letter with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), a move that worries the local water agency.

“We have water to fight structural fires, but municipal water systems are not designed to handle wildfires,” LVMWD spokesperson Michael McNutt said.
“This is part of the new reality of climate change and how it is impacting our region.”

Customers of LVMWD expressed concerns with the drought emergency and increased wildfire risk at a virtual town hall meeting in May that was attended by more than 1,300 people. Many residents recalled the devastating impacts of the 2018 Woolsey Fire and urged officials to seek additional water supply to help maintain fire-resistant landscaping within their defensible spaces.

In the July letter, CAL FIRE recommends reducing wildfire risk by hardening structures with fire resistant building materials, and creating defensible spaces by removing dead or dying vegetation and implementing a fuel management program.

LVMWD plans to hold a community workshop with regional and state partners in the coming months to discuss these topics and other strategies in response to the wildfire concern.

“This is a public safety issue that has created concern amongst the LVMWD staff, board, residents and the communities that we serve,” said Jay Lewitt, the agency’s board president.

“We are well aware of our region’s potential for fire danger and that is yet another reason why we relentlessly pursue more water,” Lewitt said.

Customers have started responding to the call for conservation with a 20% reduction in water use in May and a 37% reduction in June when compared to the same months in 2020, district officials said. But at the same time the allocation from Metropolitan to Las Virgenes is 73% less. Less water given to LVMWD means less water for local residents.

Responding to the shortage, LVMWD has been drawing water from Las Virgenes Reservoir in Westlake Village, but that supply is also limited. The reservoir needs ample reserves not only for drought, but also in case there’s an earthquake. The reservoir is currently at 79% capacity, officials said.

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