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Mayor Calls For State To Take Action, Solve Water Crisis by Ryan ZumMallen | Archive | 10.08.09 |
+ A statement released from the office Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster this morning announced that Foster is lobbying the Governor and State Legislature to create a solution to California’s water shortage that continues to dwindle and threatens to cause mandatory rationing in southern California. The Long Beach Water Department has been praised up and down the state for its conservation efforts and community outreach – that have led to record-breaking low uses within the city – but other California cities have frankly been slow to learn from their techniques. The Mayor called on state officials to enact a water reform package that includes at least a 20% conservation requirement. "Conservation is the most cost-effective water solution that can produce significant short-term results,” Foster says in the statement. "The state of California's water supply is critical, and now is the time for decisive action.” In June, we published this article about the route that water travels from the Colorado River to homes and businesses in Long Beach – as well as the myriad challenges and difficulties now facing the state water supply thanks to drought and increasing populations. Much of southern California’s water supply also comes from northern California, which does not produce full water capacity due largely to environmental protections of endangered species of fish and other animals that could be harmed. Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Randy Gordon also issued a statement this morning, siding with Mayor Foster. “California's water system was built for a population of 18 million. It is now strained to the breaking point and needs to be upgraded for a population of more than 36 million that is expected to reach 50 million. The ecological considerations also are straining the system and are being co-equally considered in legislation passed in September,” Gordon says in the statement. “The need to complete this task is crucial - and lawmakers must reach consensus on funding a historic compromise.” * Disclosure: The Long Beach Water Department is an advertiser of the LBPOST.com Disclosure: LBPOST.com co-founder Shaun Lumachi is a government affairs advisor to the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
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7 Comments so far.
Scott Blumenthal Hats off the our Mayor Bob Foster and Randy Gordon, for taking much needed action to confront a serious problem/dilema facing us today. This is indeed an issue we must get a handle on before it's too late. Is it too far fetched to implement some de-salinization plants along our coastline? This might help. Water, one of our basic needs, is a precious resource and makes this a matter of utmost importance. lbresident fine bob, but I'd rather you figure out how we're going to fix our streets/sidewalks and clean our beaches. Measure I didn't work. Let's get back to that issue and try again. Juan Pardell Strange how a state located next to the Pacific Ocean would have water supply issues. I guess desalinization plants are too perfect of a solution for our elected bretheren. CHARLIE SHEESH - Talk about passing the buck et! :>) Choleric Cathy Wow, this is an irony when just last night we had a community meeting to convince us that East Long Beach needed a new project that would increase those living here by more than 1000 people, not including the retail/restaurant portion who might like a drink now & then. When queried about why we would even consider such a massive project, the response was--we need to consider every project that comes in. Well Mr. Mayor, you set policy, time to say no more--no more increased density, even if they are rich unless of course you are going to get rid of the other less desirables in the City. EastSdeLNG Some context to this article might be helpful to readers ... who maybe haven't seen all the other stories this week (like, today's PT): the Governor and the Legislature are battling over statewide water issues. Sounds like the Legislature's proposal exempts CA's big cities from conservation efforts ... Mayor says it pretty clearly: conservation has got to be a big part of the solution. C in LB Choleric Cathy, I agree. If our mayor does acknowledge the water problem then why add to the issue with that monsterous 2nd+PCH project? This is the problem with most of Southern California...build, build, build...without ever taking into consideration if infrastructure (roads/water/power) of the area can meet the population requirements of excessively dense developments.
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LBPOST.com Managing Editor Ryan ZumMallen keeps up on all the current and breaking Long Beach news.
Ryan ZumMallen has served as the managing editor of the LBPOST.com since 2007. He graduated from CSULB with a degree in Print Journalism in 2008 and is a member of the 2009 class of Leadership Long Beach. You can find him on various basketball courts around the city.
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