Item 26 - Updated Hazard Mitigation Plan

Home Browse Search

Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2022 Climate Change Hazards - 87 - According to CDC’s Extreme heat causes more deaths than any other weather-related hazard— more than hurricanes, tornadoes, or flooding. In addition, thousands of people who are exposed to extreme heat seek medical treatment each year. In fact, each - summer more than 65,000 Americans on average visit an emergency room for acute heat illness. Figure: Fatalities by Hazard, 2006–2015 Source: NOAA National Weather Service, 2016 Drought Previous Occurrences According to the City’s Public Works Department website, throughout California's history there have been periods of low rainfall and even drought. However, the 2015 drought was referred to at the time as the worst in our state's history. The severity of the five-year drought put us in a state of emergency and Governor Brown asked for a voluntary 20% reduction in water use statewide. That same year, the City of Santa Ana adopted a strategic plan, which—among other important initiatives— focused on completing the City's Climate Action Plan with measures to address water conservation, energy efficient buildings (city and community) and greenhouse gas emissions. Creating awareness for and educating the community about water conservation is an important component of the plan. Drought conditions looked even more dire in 2015. The close of our official rainy season, which provides California with 90% of its water, was marked with record high temperatures and record low rainfall. Reservoirs were low. Landscapes were parched. And the Sierra Nevada snowpack, which usually supplies 30% of the state's water as it melts through early summer, was at its second-lowest level on record. It was no surprise, then, that Governor Brown issued an Executive Order on April 1, 2015 that called for the first-ever statewide mandatory water reduction to slash water use by 25% (compared to 2013 levels) and increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use. As a result, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) adopted an expanded emergency regulation and has imposed a new round of water conservation rules, including sharp restrictions on landscape watering as well as orders to restaurants not to serve water to customers unless asked. Since Santa Ana had already reduced its water consumption by 13% since 2013, the City called for a mandatory 12% reduction in water use and issued emergency conservation requirements for all water users to comply with state regulations and local ordinances. On March 28, 2022, Governor Newsom urged water agencies to "take more aggressive actions" and increase