It’s no secret that California has been experiencing a record breaking drought. In fact San Diego County and parts of Orange County are currently classified as D3 on the drought scale and parts of Orange, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are classified as D4. According to The National Drought Mitigation Center a D4 is considered the highest drought level possible.
In an effort to conserve water and prevent excessive waste the Governor asked California residents to reduce their water use by 20%; however, that goal remains unmet. To further conservation efforts The State Water Resources Control Board drafted emergency regulations. The new regulations prohibit the following water-related activities.
- Overwatering of lawns (any watering that produces runoff onto sidewalks or streets)
- Washing sidewalks or driveways
- Using a hose to wash a vehicle without a shut-off nozzle
- Using drinking water in a fountain or decorative water feature unless the water is recirculated
These regulations come with a fine of up to $500 per day and tickets will be distributed by law enforcement personnel.If you’re already doing your part to conserve water, be sure to look into any qualifying rebates. Funding is limited, but rebates are available for the following items.
- High-efficiency clothes washers
- High-efficiency toilets
- Rotating sprinkler nozzles (minimum 15)
- Weather-based irrigation controllers or “smart” controllers
- Soil moisture sensors
If you live in the city of San Diego, you are also eligible to receive a turf replacement rebate of up to $1.25 per square foot. More information about that program can be found by visitinghttp://www.sandiego.gov/water/pdf/conservation/residentialrebateguidelines.pdf.
For more information about residential water conservation rebates visit http://socalwatersmart.com/.
For more information about the new regulations visit The State Water Resources Control Board website athttp://www.swrcb.ca.gov/.
