City water hearing set for July 25

Council to consider mandating water use reduction

The Seal Beach City Council will hold a virtual public hearing Monday, July 25, to consider declaring a Level 2 water shortage. The council meeting will start at 7 p.m. The agenda has not yet been released, so it is not known at what time the water shortage declaration will be considered.

The council adopted a Water Shortage Contingency Ordinance in May of this year. According to the updated Water Shortage Contingency Plan, which the council also approved in May, a Level 2 shortage means consumers need to reduce their water use by 11 to 20%.  The conservation measures would be mandatory.

Seal Beach is not alone. City and county governments throughout the state of California are dealing with the current drought.

For example, Avalon, on Catalina Island, recently declared what they call Stage 1 conservation measures. But Avalon hasn’t imposed rationing on that city’s residents yet.

Because Seal Beach is still holding virtual meetings, residents who want comments on this subject will need to phone during the live meeting or send emails to Acting City Clerk Dana Engstrom at denstrom@sealbeachca.gov.

The city also allows members of the public to leave voicemails for public meetings. (This appeared to work at the July 18 Planning Commission meeting.)

Members of the public can comment through the online portal at www.sealbeachca.gov/Government/Agendas-Notices-Meeting-Videos/Council-Commission-Meetings.

Comments should be sent to the City Clerk’s Office before 5 p.m., Monday, July 25.