Pasadena Shouldn’t Add More Water Users

When you do not have enough water for everyone, you ration; but while you ration, do you still bring new drinkers to the well? Pasadena does.

The City Council has set a special hearing for Monday, May 20, at 6:30 p.m. to receive public input regarding how to ration our water supply. Pasadena faces a 10% shortfall of the supply it will need to meet current demand. While they consider rationing, they should close the entrance for new users until an equitable allocation system is established.

It is not fair to ask us to sacrifice while encouraging new users to further drain the supply.

I have submitted a proposed ordinance similar to Santa Barbara’s and Santa Monica’s to the council which calls for a temporary moratorium on any new water meters and land uses that will increase the historical water usage for the property served and establishes a maximum usage per existing water meter based upon 110% of the user’s historical usage.

During the moratorium, an ad hoc task force composed of residents (who are 80% of the users) should conduct public hearings and make a recommendation for a long-range water allocation policy.

JOHN L. POOLE

Pasadena