San Diego County residents can expect more calls for water conservation, even as local water officials insist the region has enough.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to cut back water use across the board around the state.
“California is facing a drought crisis and every local water agency and Californian needs to step up on conservation efforts,” said Newsom in a statement this week.
The State Water Resources Control Board voted Tuesday to ban watering of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial and institutional properties, the latest in a series of steps to conserve water amid a historic drought.
The ban — which does not include turf at residences or turf used for recreation or community purposes — will be effective once approved by the Office of Administrative Law, which typically takes about 10 days, according to the board. Violations of the ban would be punishable by a fine of up to $500.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened Monday to impose mandatory water restrictions if residents don’t use less on their own as a drought drags on and the hotter summer months approach.
Newsom raised that possibility in a meeting with representatives from major water agencies, including those that supply Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area. The Democratic governor has avoided issuing sweeping, mandatory cuts in water use and instead favored giving local water agencies power to set rules for water use in the cities and towns they supply.
Gov. Gavin Newsom met with leaders of the state’s largest urban water suppliers Monday and implored them to step up efforts to get people to reduce water use as California’s drought continues to worsen. He warned that if conservation efforts don’t improve this summer, the state could be forced to impose mandatory water restrictions throughout the state.
Leaders from California’s largest urban water suppliers and associations met with Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday to discuss aggressive actions to combat drought.
Per Newsom’s direction, the state’s Water Resources Control Board may vote on a statewide ban on watering “nonfunctional turf” in a meeting Tuesday.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened Monday to impose mandatory water restrictions if residents don’t use less on their own as a drought drags on and the hotter summer months approach.
Before starting your WaterSmart landscaping makeover, there are significant decisions to make about improving your water efficiency, including plant and irrigation choices. First, determine what type of landscape will meet your needs and maximize your water savings potential.
For some time, California seemed well on its way toward a water future made more secure by desalination plants up and down the coast. A dozen are currently in operation, including the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, which upon opening in 2015 became the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Ten more plants are being planned.
Adoptable dogs and even a few cats found new homes and called attention to new water conservation measures at five San Marcos parks at the first “Wags and Water Festival.” The event was organized by the Vallecitos Water District and the City of San Marcos.
San Marcos and the Vallectios Water District partnered on the new project to encourage water conservation. Five hydration stations have been installed in San Marcos parks to facilitate easy refilling of reusable bottles during outdoor activities instead of using purchased bottled water. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Residents joined officials, including San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones and San Marcos City Councilmember Ed Musgrove; City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Commissioners Danyte Mockus-Valenzuela and Judy Prestininzi; and Vallectios board members Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson, Ph.D., Jim Pennock, and Mike Sannella, at Woodland Park to fill new reusable bottles with fresh drinking water at the new fill station.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s K9 team presented a tracking demonstration of their working dogs. Camp Run-A-Mutt San Marcos assisted at the event.
San Diego County dog adoption agencies participating at the event placed seven dogs in new homes. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
San Diego County dog adoption agencies participating at the event with adoptable dogs and adoption information included A New Life Rescue, Paws 4 Thought Animal Rescue, and Tragic to Magic and helped call attention to the project. Seven dogs found their forever homes with families who adopted them at the event.
San Marcos and Vallecitos partnered on the new project to encourage water conservation. Five hydration stations have been installed in San Marcos parks to facilitate easy refilling of reusable bottles during outdoor activities instead of using purchased bottled water. Both the City of San Marcos and the Vallecitos Water District are committed to reducing single-use plastics. Each station features a quick-fill mechanism to encourage reusable water bottle use alongside a regular water fountain spout.
Allie Urabe with her new puppy, Patsy. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
The hydration station project received $25,000 in grant funding from the San Diego County Water Authority and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to cover the purchase and installation of the stations, and educational signage informing the public about the benefits of tap water over bottled water. The signage also offers several additional steps people can take to conserve water.
In addition to Woodland Park, fill stations are available at Mission Sports Field Park, Bradley Park, Connors Park, Buelow Park, and Woodland Park.
Both the City of San Marcos and the Vallecitos Water District are committed to reducing single-use plastics. San Diego County Water Authority staffers Emily Rose (L) and Vadim Livshits (R). Photo: Vallecitos Water District
According to the Water Footprint Calculator, it takes 1.5 gallons of water to manufacture a single plastic bottle holding 16 ounces of drinking water. All plastic drinking bottles are made from new plastic material, so there is no recovery due to recycling.
(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
Local residents spoke out at a packed standing room only town hall meeting last week about a proposal by the Fallbrook Public Utility District and Rainbow Municipal Water District to switch water suppliers, a change that they are reportng would save ratepayers millions of dollars.
Following years of escalating water costs from the San Diego County Water Authority, averaging 8% per year, FPUD and Rainbow are seeking to change water suppliers – through a process known as detachment – from the Water Authority.
