CPUC Issues Water Conservation Order

The California Public Utilities Commission has ordered water companies to implement measures that would reduce water use by 25 percent, in accordance with emergency water use regulations adopted by the state Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday.

The board unanimously approved the restrictions for all of the 113 investor-owned water utilities it oversees, which provide water service to approximately 16 percent of the state’s residents.

The adopted measures are in response to Gov. Jerry Brown’s executive order, issued on April 1, mandating 25 percent reduction in water use statewide for all urban water users through Feb. 2016, compared with 2013 usage, CPUC officials said.

The measures will allow the state to safeguard the last of its potable urban water supplies in anticipation of a possible fifth year of drought, according to CPUC officials “We are in a drought emergency and need to take bold action. While water still flows to most taps today, the hard work to manage scarce water resources masks the dwindling supply in rivers, reservoirs and underground storage basins,” CPUC Commissioner Catherine Sandoval said in a statement.

“Treat the drought like an 8.0 earthquake in your community. Take dramatic steps to conserve water or face enforcement to ensure conservation mandates are met,” she said.

Conservation savings for water companies serving more than 3,000 connections will begin on June 1, the commission said.

Water companies serving 3,000 or fewer connections must reduce water use by 25 percent by restricting outdoor irrigation to no more than two days per week.

According to the commission, newly-mandated prohibitions include any irrigation of ornamental turf on public street medians, as well as irrigation with potable water outside of newly-constructed homes and buildings not in accordance with emergency regulations or other requirements established by the Building Standards Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Development.

According to CPUC officials, those prohibitions are in addition to already existing ones that prohibit the use of potable water to wash sidewalks and driveways and allowing runoff when irrigating with potable water.

Also, residents cannot use hoses with no automatic shut-off nozzles to wash cars or use potable water in decorative water features that do not recirculate the water. Additionally, irrigating outdoors during and within 48 hours of rainfall is also prohibited, CPUC officials said.

Furthermore, restaurants can only serve water to customers who request it and hotels and motels must provide guests the option to not have their linens and towels washed daily and must prominently display the option in each guest’s room.

--Bay City News; Patch file image

• Related:
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• Construction of Temporary Salt Water Barrier Underway on the Delta
• Gov. Brown Signs $1 Billion Emergency Drought Package
• Gov. Brown Orders First-Ever Mandatory Water Reductions
• Water Diversion Plan Shrinks Delta Recovery Promise
• $10,000 Fines For Water Wasters? Governor Proposes Drastic Measures Amid Drought

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