With Californians cutting drinkable water use by only 2.8 percent in February, local water districts are gearing up for more state-mandated restrictions and telling customers to crimp the flow.
Effective Wednesday, April 22, South Laguna residents will not be able to wash their cars, or any other personal vehicle, at home and can only water their lawns and gardens one night a week, said Andy Brunhart, general manager of the South Coast Water District. Watering will be limited to 10 minutes per sprinkler system, he said. The new water rules resulted from a special board meeting Tuesday, April 7.
If a customer washes their car or waters more, the violation will be brought to the resident’s attention with gentle reminders, such as a personal visit from a water district employee or a doorknob hanger asking the customer to call. “Ninety-nine percent of our customers, once they know, will say, ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t know,’ and they’re perfectly happy to conserve,” said Brunhart.
Commercial car washes will be the only option, he said. Every car wash within the water district uses recycled water, he said.
Watering hours will remain restricted from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. Watering had been limited to three nights a week. Hosing off sidewalks and driveways will remain forbidden.
The district is also prohibiting filling or refilling residential swimming pools and spas, although customers can maintain water levels with a once-a-month top-up. The same restrictions apply to ornamental lakes and ponds.
The lawn and garden irrigation restrictions also apply to SCWD’s largest customers, the luxury resorts within its service area, St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton and Montage. But restrictions do not apply to recycled water use, which is unlimited, Brunhart confirmed.
Unlike the Laguna Beach County Water District, SCWD was far from attaining the 20 percent reduction in use of drinkable water usage required by the state in 2013. Up until this year, SCWD saw only a 1 percent decrease in potable water use by its customers, said Brunhart. In January and February, water use dropped by 10 percent, he said.
“Awareness is increasing,” said Brunhart. The governor last week mandated a 25 percent reduction across California due to the lack of rainfall and mountain snowpack reserves.
The reduction in use means less revenue for water districts. To accommodate an anticipated 10 percent decline in revenue, some construction projects have been put on hold, Brunhart said. Water rates have not risen since 2013 and the district’s staff recommends no change next year as well, according to the agenda of next week’s board meeting.
New construction of homes or businesses can only install drip or micro-spray watering systems if potable water is used, said Brunhart. Multi-residential units, such as apartments and townhomes, are being asked to install per unit water meters rather than one meter for the entire development, he said. Use of potable water on ornamental turf and road medians will also be prohibited.
SCWD serves South Laguna, Dana Point and portions of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.
