With no relief in sight for the ongoing severe drought, yesterday the California Water Resources Control Board approved an emergency conservation regulation which will go into effect on August 1st. In January, Governor Jerry Brown declared a statewide drought and urged Californians to reduce their water use by 20%. As a result of diminishing water supplies throughout the state, the the emergency conservation regulation was passed Tuesday to ensure increased water conservation.
All Californians will be expected to reduce water waste by stopping the following:
• washing down driveways and sidewalks;
• watering of outdoor landscapes that cause excess runoff;
• using a hose to wash a motor vehicle, unless the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle;
• and using potable water in a fountain or decorative water feature, unless the water is recirculated.
Any violators of these new regulations may be issued fines of up to $500 per day.
Hi-Desert Water District spokesperson Jennifer Poland said their customers have already achieved the conservation levels that many other California communities are struggling to meet. The District encourages customers to continue with ongoing water conservation efforts. Yucca Valley water users can find water conservation information on HDWD’s main website at www.hdwd.com. Poland said Yucca Valley’s proposed centralized sewer system will recharge treated wastewater back into our underground aquifer, providing a clean additional source of water to draw upon in severe dry times like these. Learn more about it at www.protectgroudnwater.org. For more information, contact Hi-Desert Water District at (760) 365-8333.
