In July, the State Water Resources Control Board formally adopted emergency regulations as a result of one of the worst droughts in California history. These regulations went into effect on July 28, 2014, and will remain in effect for 270 days. All state water suppliers must enact their own emergency regulations. Managing editor Tami Roleff explains what regulations were enacted by the Hi-Desert Water District in Yucca Valley at their meeting last week…
Last week, the Hi-Desert Water District’s Board of Directors approved mandatory restrictions on water use in response to the State Water Resources Control Board’s Emergency Regulations. The restrictions include:
1. No hose washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, patios, etc (unless required for health or safety reasons).
2. You can’t clean, fill, or run fountains unless they have a re-circulating system.
3. You can’t knowingly allow water leaks of any kind.
4. No use of potable water to irrigate grass, lawns, groundcover, shrubbery, crops, vegetation, and trees between 9 and 5 between June 1 and Sept 30. During this time, watering is permitted only three days a week.
Between Oct 1 and May 31, watering is still permitted no more than three times a week, but watering at any hour is permissible.
5. Restaurants can provide water to customers only on request.
6. Non-commercial washing cars, boats, and other vehicles is permitted only with a hose that has an automatic shut-off nozzle.
7. No use of water is permitted that results in flooding or run-off.
Offenders will be given a warning followed by fines of a warning for a first violation, $25 for a second violation, $50 for a third violation, $100 for a fourth violation. For more than four violations, customers could face a possible termination of water service.
