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Inland Empire aquifer at record low, officials say
The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District announced Friday, July 18, that the aquifer beneath the Bunker Hill Basin -- an important source of drinking water -- was at a record low.
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Inland Empire aquifer at record low, officials say
An underground aquifer that is an important source of drinking water for the Inland Empire is at a record low, local water officials reported Friday.
Officials with the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District and neighboring agencies say groundwater levels in an aquifer beneath the Bunker Hill Basin are at their lowest level in recorded history. The aquifer provides much of the drinking water for San Bernardino, Riverside and a number of surrounding communities.
At the same time, more than two-thirds of residents that get water from the aquifer don't realize it's dependent on imported water from Northern California and the Colorado River to help refill it. Those deliveries have been cut back in recent months because of the ongoing drought.
The San Bernardino water district along with 13 other agencies commissioned a survey company to poll residents on their understanding of the region's water supply. Among the findings, the poll shows the majority of respondents mistakenly believe most water use is for indoor, rather than outdoor, purposes.
In an effort to raise awareness for the need to conserve, the agencies are scheduled to launch a website, IEfficient.com, next week.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of the water district. KPCC regrets the error.
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