The San Diego City Council’s Committee on the Environment voted Wednesday to declare mandatory water restrictions through a Level 2 Drought Alert.
The city needs to reduce its water use by 20 percent, Committee Chair David Alvarez says — a goal residents are far from hitting with only 4 percent conservation under Level 1 voluntary measures.
Now, mandatory rules will be up for a full city council vote.
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“It is clear to me that the current drought is not coming to an end in the near future and it is critical that we take action now in order to guard against more severe restrictions in the future,” said Alvarez in a press release.
Under a Level 2 Drought Alert, the following recommendations would become requirements:
- Water lawns no more than three days a week for nor more than seven minutes each time
- Use hoses with automatic shut-off nozzles or timed sprinkler systems
- Wash vehicles before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
- Water potted plants, gardens and fruit trees before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
- Don’t water plants or yards on rainy days
- Shut off ornamental fountains that don’t use recycled water
Watering lawns would be restricted based on where you live. Odd-numbered addresses will water Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Even-numbered addresses will water Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Apartments, condominiums and businesses would be allowed to water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
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A Drought Alert was last declared in 2009.
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer put his support behind the mandatory measures Tuesday, saying he wants to see the Drought Alert in place by Nov. 1.
He said ten city employees would be responsible for educating the public and business about new restrictions and their “24 Ways to Save Hundreds of Gallons Every Week.”
The San Diego County Water Authority has already mandated a “Drought Alert” for 20 percent conservation. For that agency, measures include offering water to restaurant patrons only on request, offering hotel guests the choice not to launder towels and linens every day, watering yards and plants early in the morning or late in the evening and repairing all leaks within 72 hours.
When Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state drought emergency in January, he called on Californians to cut their water use by 20 percent
Water suppliers across the state report consumption fell 11.5 percent on average in August.
