The Valley of the Moon Water District board on April 7 extended the Stage 2 Mandatory Conservation order through Feb. 28, 2016, and limited the number of days customers could irrigate to three or less.
The steps were taken in response to the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) continuation and adoption of additional emergency conservation regulations ,and the Governor’s executive order for additional statewide conservation of April 1.
The board also encouraged rural residential, agriculture, golf courses, State and County parks and all other groundwater users in the Sonoma Valley to conserve water.
In a press release, Daniel Muelrath, the water district’s general manager, said, “due to VOMWD’s long-standing commitment to conservation, our customers will need to conserve 20 percent compared to 2013. The SWRCB is in the process of adopting a sliding scale approach to reach the Governor’s 25 percent mandatory conservation, meaning other areas in the state that have higher consumption per person will need to conserve more than 20 percent.”
The following is a list of current restrictions and prohibitions effective immediately:
• Irrigating no more than three days a week.
• Irrigation is limited to the hours between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
• No irrigation water may run off or over-spray the irrigated area.
• Leaks that are known to the customer must be repaired.
• Use of a garden or utility hose without a hose-end shut-off nozzle is prohibited.
• No service of water in restaurants – except upon request.
• No use of potable water for street washing.
• Washing sidewalks, patios, driveways and other hardscapes unless for public health is prohibited.
• Recycled water must be used for construction dust control.
Muelrath said many customers have already done their part and are expected to remain efficient and diligent. It is the customers who have not yet taken action or who can do more to eliminate waste that need to act now. An efficient home should use no more than 59 gallons a person per day plus 4,500 gallons per month for irrigation water. For a family of two, that means 8,000 gallons a month in summer; 3,500 gallons a month in winter; and for a family of four, it means 11,500 gallons a month in summer and 7,000 gallons a month in winter.
“Although our local water supplies are in slightly better condition this year, we support the governor’s approach that we are all Californians and we will get through this drought together,” Muelrath said.
“Taking that mindset locally, we are Sonoma Valley and together, as a community, we will get through this drought. Water conserved this year will remain in the reservoirs and help extend our water supply should this drought persist into a fifth year,” Muelrath added.
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