The Governor's Mandate – How Does It Effect You?

07/01/2015

It is no secret that California is facing the most severe drought on record, with water supplies rapidly diminishing as time goes on. In January 2015, Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought State of Emergency and directed state officials to take all necessary actions to deal with this unprecedented situation.

The governor ordered specific water restrictions statewide to help combat water wasting and conserve the water we have left after a winter of record-low snowfalls. The restrictions the governor imposed include:

  • The State Water Resources Control Board imposing restrictions to achieve a statewide 25% reduction in potable urban water usage through February 28 2016.
  • The Department of Water Resources to replace 50 million square feet of lawns and ornamental turf with drought tolerant landscapes.
  • The California Energy Commission to implement a time-limited statewide appliance rebate program to provide monetary incentives for the replacement of inefficient household devices.
  • The Water Board imposing restrictions to require all commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, such as golf courses, campuses and cemeteries, to implement water efficiency measures to reduce potable water usage by 25%.
  • The Water Board prohibiting irrigation with potable water of ornamental turf on public street medians.
  • The Water Board prohibiting irrigation with potable water outside of newly constructed homes and buildings that is not delivered by drip or microspray systems.

These reductions imposed by the state take into consideration the relative per capita water usage of each water suppliers’ service area. Areas with high per capita use are required to achieve proportionally greater reductions than those with low use. For example, the average daily water usage per person in Palm Springs is 201 gallons, more than double the California average. Communities like this where residential customers use more than 165 gallons of water per person per day have to cut back by 35%, as opposed to 25%.

The governor has also asked that water agencies and legislators enforce fines of up to $10,000 for those not complying with the new water restrictions. While only a minimal number of fines have thus far been issued, more regulations and fines will continue to crop up as California cities struggle to meet conservation measures.

The Central Coast is one of the areas most heavily impacted by the drought. The cities of Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach are imposing mandatory restrictions and offering incentives for their residents to conserve water.

The City of Arroyo Grande

The State Water Resource Control Board adopted new regulations as of May 5, 2015, imposing a 28% water use reduction on the City of Arroyo Grande. The City of Arroyo Grande declared a Stage 1 Water Shortage Emergency on May 26, 2015 as a result of these severe drought conditions, low Lopez Reservoir levels and reduced groundwater levels. The adoption of a Stage 1 Emergency will require all customers to reduce water usage by a certain percentage compared to the same billing period the prior year. Residents will be required to reduce water consumption based upon their billing tier:

Tier 1: bi-monthly usage of 0-18 units

  • 0-10 units are not required to reduce usage but must maintain current levels of usage.
  • 11-18 units reduce by 10%

Tier 2: bi-monthly usage of 19-36 units

  • Reduce by 20%

Tier 3: bi-monthly usage of 37 units or more

  • Reduce by 30%

Financial penalties for not meeting these reduction requirements include:

  • 1st Violation: Written Notice
  • 2nd Violation: $50
  • 3rd Violation: $100
  • All subsequent violations: $200

These reductions are based on a customer’s past usage. Therefore, residents that have already achieved substantial conservation may not need to modify habits at all, while others may have to choose between taking a shower and watering their lawn.

Arroyo Grande also has the following water use restrictions in place:

  • Outdoor irrigation is prohibited between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm. Even-numbered addresses may water on Mondays & Thursday and odd-numbered addresses on Tuesdays & Fridays. No irrigation is allowed on Wednesdays and all addresses may irrigate on Saturdays & Sundays.
  • Use of water which results in excessive gutter runoff is prohibited.
  • No outdoor water use (including cleaning driveways, patios, parking lots, sidewalks, streets) – except irrigation.
  • All hoses for washing vehicles, boats, buildings or similar uses shall be attended and have hand-controlled watering devices including spring-loaded shutoff nozzles.
  • Restaurants shall serve drinking water only in response to a specific request by a customer.
  • Hotels and motels must provide guests with the option of not having towels and linens laundered daily.
  • Use of potable water for compaction or dust control purposes in construction activities is prohibited.
  • Use of water in decorative water features that do not recirculate the water is prohibited.
  • The use of outdoor irrigation during and 48 hours following measureable precipitation is prohibited.

The City of Pismo Beach

The City of Pismo Beach declared a “Severely Restricted Water Supply” on July 1, 2014, imposing restrictions on irrigation, outdoor water use, and potable water use for construction to increase conservation. The requirements for Pismo Beach are as follows:

  • Outdoor irrigation is prohibited between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm.
  • Use of water which results in excessive gutter runoff is prohibited.
  • No outdoor water use (including cleaning driveways, patios, parking lots, sidewalks, streets) – except irrigation.
  • All hoses for washing vehicles, boats, buildings or similar uses shall be attended and have hand-controlled watering devices including spring-loaded shutoff nozzles.
  • Restaurants shall serve drinking water only in response to a specific request by a customer.
  • Hotels and motels must provide guests with the option of not having towels and linens laundered daily.
  • Use of potable water for compaction or dust control purposes in construction activities is prohibited.
  • Use of water in decorative water features that do not recirculate the water is prohibited.
  • The use of outdoor irrigation during and 48 hours following measureable precipitation is prohibited.

Water Schedule for Pismo Beach is as follows:

  • All landscape irrigation should be limited to no more than three assigned days per week. Do not use more water than necessary to maintain landscaping.
  • Even-numbered addresses – Mondays & Thursdays
  • Odd-numbered addresses – Tuesdays & Fridays

During these difficult times, it is important that we pay close attention to our water usage and think about the future of our communities. Conserve today in order to preserve the future of this precious resource.

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