210 replies to this topic

[molloy]

Here is my math on our water supply.  This is a rough estimate, but interested in seeing if anyone thinks I am very far off.

 

  262,874 acre feet of water in the lake now.  I found this from a link on the https://www.facebook...lsomLakeDrought web page (official state number for the lake)

-100,000 acre feet of water required to get to where our pipe is

------------

162, 874 acre feet of usable water

divided by

  50,000 acre feet of water that the lake went down per month between Nov through Jan of this year.  I got this from looking at the graphs on the states official graph on the lakes level.  Only a small part of this goes to Folsom homes. 

------------

 = 3 months supply  (of course that does not include new rain or snow melt which there is not a lot of)

 

My point is that it looks like we will have a very serious problem before the end of this coming summer if the city does not develop a new water source.

 

Am I missing something?

Edited by molloy, 12 February 2014 - 10:34 PM.

[cw68]

Here is my math on our water supply.  This is a rough estimate, but interested in seeing if anyone thinks I am very far off.
 
  262,874 acre feet of water in the lake now.  I found this from a link on the https://www.facebook...lsomLakeDrought web page (official state number for the lake)
-100,000 acre feet of water required to get to where our pipe is
------------
162, 874 acre feet of usable water
divided by
  50,000 acre feet of water that the lake went down per month between Nov through Jan of this year.  I got this from looking at the graphs on the states official graph on the lakes level.  Only a small part of this goes to Folsom homes. 
------------
 = 3 months supply  (of course that does not include new rain or snow melt which there is not a lot of)
 
My point is that it looks like we will have a very serious problem before the end of this coming summer if the city does not develop a new water source.
 
Am I missing something?

1) outflow is lower
2) Roseville is now drawing from wells; don't know if they are drawing all if their water from wells, but that lessens the demand on the lake
3) Cities are finally mandating reductions, which they weren't previously

We still have a problem, however.

[4thgenFolsomite]

So I converted my 7.68 cu ft to 57.6 gallons used during a month. How is it possible to get to the 465 gallon per day per person figure being used. That doesn't seem possible.

[Darth Lefty]

The bills are in CCF, hundreds of cubic feet.  Multiply by 100.  
 
http://www.folsom.ca...terretrofit.asp

[ducky]

What Darth Lefty said.  It says on the back of the city bill that it's billed in CCF.  There are 748 gallons in one CCF, which gets you 5,744.64 for your monthly billing.  Divide that by 30 and you get your daily usage, which would be 191.488 gallons.  If there's more than one of you living there, then I suppose you divide that again by however many residents it took to use that 7.68 CCF.

 

Does anyone else see the problem with some communities reporting strictly residential use and saying they have a lower per person usage and some communities lumping in total water usage and then showing a higher per person usage?  Seems like comparing apples and oranges to me. 

[4thgenFolsomite]

I'm checking with the city on that right now.  They told me that there are different meters around the city, but I have to believe they are billing in the same units HOWEVER I pay a number of residential utility bills in Folsom and I see some are clearly marked CF and others are marked CCF.  I should get some clarification today and I'll report back.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

okay, my January use was 7.68.  I did have to water a bit to keep my citrus trees alive.

 

The bill covers meter service from 12/09/13 - 1/09/14, so most of the month of January isn't even covered by the current bill.

[ducky]

I'm checking with the city on that right now.  They told me that there are different meters around the city, but I have to believe they are billing in the same units HOWEVER I pay a number of residential utility bills in Folsom and I see some are clearly marked CF and others are marked CCF.  I should get some clarification today and I'll report back.

The front of the bill says CF, but when I did the calculation for what they charged for my Tier 1 usage it came out exactly using CCF.

You are actually doing quite well.  I bet your January bill will be even lower.

[Darth Lefty]

...if the city does not develop a new water source.

 

Am I missing something?

 

And there's the pivot to local water politics we were all expecting from you!  Why didn't you lead with it?  Or start a thread titled "Let's Develop A New Water Source" instead of playing with polls and algebra?

[4thgenFolsomite]

Okay, Ducky and Darth, you guys were spot on.  The city got back to me with exactly the calculations you had.  Thanks!  Now looking forward to understanding my use better as the months go on.  I wish I could cut and paste in what they wrote because it really puts use in perspective.

[Deanna H]

We live in Shingle Springs, but I thought I'd add our usage. For the period of 11/13/13-1/14/14, we averaged 449 gal/day for the two of us.

[molloy]

This has been an interesting conversation.  I was hoping someone could convince me that we did not have a major water supply problem and that we could make it until the next rainy season.  It seems like we all need to hope for rain, because without that I do not see how the math works.

 

Also, while I think the city should develop another water source I am worried that it is already too late for this year due to how long it takes to get projects designed and built.  Not sure, but I think so.  If it is possible it would need to be on the city council agenda asap.

 

In addition to general conservation it seems like the highest impact thing to do is to work with the bureau of reclamation and our congressman Bera to reduce the water leaving the dam for non life sustaining purposes.  I believe this is the majority the water leaving the lake.

 

I hope there is someone reading this that can help make these things happen.  I will add a calendar reminder for me to check back on this blog in August and note what happened.  I hope it will rain, but will be tracking our water supply on the facebook page I told you about before.

[Redone]

Wouldn't it be pretty simple for a new measure to clarify Measure W that securing of a separate water supply would mean a physically separate supply  and not just a different pie slice from the same hole.    I am sure right now while the lake is down you can get on ballot.   

[ducky]

Wouldn't it be pretty simple for a new measure to clarify Measure W that securing of a separate water supply would mean a physically separate supply  and not just a different pie slice from the same hole.    I am sure right now while the lake is down you can get on ballot.   

 

Wouldn't it be pretty simple for a new measure to clarify Measure W that securing of a separate water supply would mean a physically separate supply  and not just a different pie slice from the same hole.    I am sure right now while the lake is down you can get on ballot.   

 

I agree with you that I felt that was the intent of Measure W as it was sold to residents, but, politics being what they are in Folsom, they will just use the scare tactic that others are breathing down our necks and will take the water we don't use so it might as well go South of 50.  I don't think that's the whole truth, and there is even a city document that says it is possible to use that water for infill N50, but residents are apathetic.

[EDF]

Hey does anyone remember the deal we had back in I think 2004 when we tried to get the south of 50 development pushed back and the deal was the developers had to get their own water supply and not from existing resources...?

 

Why then am I reading the local papers that because we have saved 20% or something like that... the city is going to provide the South of 50 developers with their water supply.. is that BS or what... inquiring minds want to know...