Level 4 Emergency Water Conservation Measures Go Into Effect by June 1, 2022 (Conejo Valley Water Providers)

Here is a compilation of Level 4 water conservation measures issued by local water providers in the Conejo Valley and some surrounding areas that are to go into effect on June 1, 2022.

California American Water Announcement:

Due to the significant statewide drought conditions severely reducing water supplies to Southern California Emergency Water Conservation Measures will go into effect on June 1, 2022.

The Metropolitan Water District and Calleguas Municipal Water District (California American Water’s wholesaler) have passed down requirements to limit watering to one-day-per-week.

On June 1, 2022, California American Water’s Ventura County District customers should follow the below updated watering schedule.

Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Camarillo Customers Watering Schedule

ONE-DAY-A-WEEK
Residential Odd Address (Addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Saturday
Residential Even Address (Addresses ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, 0): Sunday
Non-residential (including multi-family apartments, retail and commercial properties, churches, schools, and parks): Wednesday
No Watering Monday through Friday for Residential Properties
To avoid evaporation, we recommend customers please water outdoors before 9:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m.
Watering is limited to a total of 15 minutes per station per allowed day
Hand watering with a garden hose/nozzle and Low-flow irrigation systems (Including drip irrigation and micro spray) that emits less than two gallons per hour are exempt from day of week and time limitation except for irrigation of turf
Turf grass irrigation (irrigation timer or garden hose) only permissible on allowed watering day

www.amwater.com/caaw/Conservation/District-Resources/Ventura/

City of Thousand Oaks Water Announcement on May 25th

City of Thousand Oaks Water announced the adoption of Level 4 water conservation measures effective immediately. The city indicates it must reduce water use by 50% to avoid banning all outdoor water use later this year. More details at www.toakswater.org.

Irrigation

1. Watering hours: NO watering allowed between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

2. Watering days: One day per week; Saturday for odd-numbered addresses and Sunday for even-numbered (and no) addresses.

3. Extra irrigation day for specific permitted uses: Wednesday is the allowed extra day for active playing fields, active play areas at licensed daycare centers, golf course greens and fairways, school play fields, vegetable gardens less than 300 SF, engineered slopes, and fuel modification zones.

4. Trees and shrubs: Hand-watering is allowed on additional days to keep trees and shrubs alive, as necessary. Hand-watering includes the use of a hand-held bucket or similar container, or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive self-closing water shut-off nozzle or device.

5. Fix leaks, breaks, or malfunctions within 48 hours.

6. No excessive water runoff or overspray.

7. Rainfall: No irrigation during and within 48 hours after rainfall measuring 0.25 inches or more.

8. Low volume system: Irrigating with other than low volume systems or hand-watering is prohibited except for active school and public playing fields, active play areas at licensed daycare centers, golf course greens and fairways, engineered slopes, and fuel modification zones.

9. Sprinkler systems: Traditional sprinklers (other than low volume) may be used only until July 31, 2022, to provide 60 days for transitioning sprinkler systems to low volume. Sprinklers are subject to the one day per week watering restriction with a limit of 15-minutes of watering per irrigation zone.

Other Requirements

1. No washing down hard or paved surfaces.

2. Vehicle washing: Use of potable water for washing vehicles at home, by mobile services, and for community events is prohibited.

3. Water misters: Use of water misters is prohibited.

4. Swimming pool covers: Outdoor swimming pools shall be covered when not in use.

5. Swimming pools and spas: Draining and re-filling pools and spas of more than one foot with potable water is prohibited. A City waiver is required to drain pools and spas for leak repairs.

6. Ornamental lakes, ponds, or running-water features: Filling or re-filling ornamental lakes, ponds, or running-water features with potable water is prohibited, except to sustain aquatic life of significant value.

7. Dust Suppression: Potable water use for dust suppression is prohibited unless approved through a City waiver.

See full press release at www.toaks.org/Home/Components/News/News/13578/993.

California Water Service Announcement:

(Cal Water's Westlake District was formed in 1983 with the purchase of the Westlake Water Company. Cal Water purchases imported surface water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) through Calleguas Municipal Water District.)

Stage 2 Irrigation Day Restrictions:

• Street address ending in odd number: Watering allowed on Tuesday and Saturday

• Street address ending in even number or no number: Watering allowed on Wednesday and Sunday

• Exceptions: Landscape that uses exclusively drip and/or micro-spray irrigation systems, irrigating with hand-held bucket or similar container, with continuously monitored hose fitted with shut-off nozzle.

• Penalties: 1st violation - real-time water measurement device installed on customer meter. 2nd violation $50 penalty. 3rd violation $100 penalty. 4th violation or egregious violation - flow restricting device installed.

• Conservation rebates for high efficiency clothes washer, toilet, smart irrigation controller, high efficiency sprinkler nozzles, lawn to garden and spray to drip.

• Lawn to garden program: $3 per sq ft of lawn removed, with 50% converted to drought-tolerant landscaping.

• Spray to drip program: $.50 per sq ft of landscaping converted from standard spray irrigation system to drip system.

calwater.com/conservation and calwater.com/drought

Calleguas Municipal Water District Announcement:

(Calleguas Municipal Water District (Calleguas) operates as a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan). Metropolitan provides Calleguas with imported water supplies, which Calleguas in turn distributes on a wholesale basis to water agencies that serve the communities and cities (Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo, Oxnard, and Port Hueneme) in southeast Ventura County. Imported water supplies account for approximately 80 percent of all potable water uses in this area.)

Mandatory Irrigation Watering Schedule for Ventura County Waterworks Districts 1 (Moorpark), 17 (Bell Canyon), 19 (Somis) and 38 (Lake Sherwood) Customers

• Even numbered addresses: Sundays only

• Odd numbered addresses: Saturdays only

• Only applies to non-functional, ornamental turf (lawns) and excludes turf located in parks, sports fields, and school playground fields.

• Hand watering or efficient drip irrigation of trees, shrubs and/or plants is permitted as needed to support their health and ability to recover.

• No irrigation between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• Irrigate no more than 15 minutes per zone (does not apply to low-flow drip irrigation).

• Does not apply to areas that are irrigated with recycled water.

• Applies to all customer classifications except agriculture.

• Residential Swimming Pools and Spas: Refilling of more than one foot and initial filling of residential swimming pools and spas is prohibited. Those with an already approved building permit (as of 5/31/22) for a pool or spa are exempt from this prohibition.

• Penalties: 1st violation - written notice of violation. 2nd violation - $100 if within 12 months of 1st violation. 3rd violation - $250. 4th violation - $500.

www.vcpublicworks.org/wsd/waterconservation

Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Followers Share How They Are Saving Water

Governor Jerry Brown issued mandatory statewide water restrictions with a mandatory 25% reduction in water use through February 2016. This 25% reduction is a statewide, aggregate goal, not a specific goal directed at individual residences. That said, we all need to do what we can to cut back water use.

In a recent drawing on the CVG Facebook page, local residents were asked what they are doing to cut back on use of water. Here's what they said:

• No more car washes

• Watering lawn less

• Put in artificial grass*, flush toilets less, take shorter showers

• Shorter showers and gave up flower bed

• Water lawn once a week instead of twice a week

• Stopped watering lawn...planning to change the landscape

• Turn the water off when brushing and washing

• Bricks in the toilet tank to reduce water per flush

• Took out the grass

• Rain barrel system

• Shorter showers was mentioned numerous times

• Washing more clothes in bigger loads

• Put buckets out when it rains

• Rarely wash the car

• Using water saving shower heads

• Showering together (hmmm)

• Shower timers

• Showers instead of baths

• Take baths every other day instead of every day

• Soaking and washing dishes with half-filled sink instead of running water

• "If it's yellow, let it mellow...etc."

• Got rid of lawn and installed drip system

• Fixed all leaking faucets

• Buckets in showers to collect water as it warms up to use outside

California American Water provides low flow shower heads like this one as, well as faucet aerators and other conservation supplies to customers.

There are a variety of water conservation rebates available for Southern California residents under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Water District.  Visit socalwatersmart.com for more information. In addition to turf replacement rebates (which due to huge demand, as of May 12th stopped taking applications...but they they indicate checking back May 26th for possible new funding, terms and conditions), rebates are available for items like properly implemented rain barrels, high-efficiency clothes washers and toilets, weather-based irrigation controllers and rotating sprinkler nozzles.

* Artificial grass: California American Water explains why artificial turf is not included in turf exhange programs. Artificial turf is not a living landscape and does not increase biodiversity of plant, animal and insect populations, provide habitat for local fauna, foster healthy soils, cool surrounding air temperatures (artificial turf can get significantly hotter than surrounding air temperatures) or sequester carbon or produce oxygen like living plant material can. Artificial turf is not water free. It must be watered periodically for cleaning and may require chemicals periodically. And because artificial turf can get very hot in direct sunlight, water may be needed to cool it for comfortable use.

City of Simi Valley Level 1 Water Shortage Restrictions Became Effective August 1st

To comply with the State Water Resources Control Board emergency regulations requiring all water retailers in California to mandate water use reductions, a Level 1 Water Supply Shortage is in effect as of August 1, 2014. The Board of Directors of Waterworks District No. 8 (the Simi Valley City Council) has declared a Level 1 Water Supply Shortage, effective August 1, 2014.

(The Golden State Water Company is currently considering similar restrictions, their customers may reference www.gswater.com for updates. Note – City restrictions apply to Golden State Water Company customers also.)

All residents and businesses provided water by the City of Simi Valley, must immediately:

•  Reduce landscape irrigation, limiting to 45 minutes per week per irrigation station/zone through October 31 (with exceptions for “smart” controllers, drip or low water emitting fixtures, and stream rotors with 70% efficiency)
• Fix leaks, breaks, or malfunctions promptly, in no case longer than 72 hours.
• All residents and businesses within the City of Simi Valley must:
• Irrigate before 9:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m., no more than 15 minutes per irrigation station/zone;
• Cease any excessive irrigation flow and/or runoff;
• Cease washing or spraying pavement (or any exterior hard surfaces) with exceptions when necessary, to alleviate safety or sanitary hazards;
• Only wash a vehicle using a hose with an automatic trigger shut-off nozzle;
• Use only recirculated water in decorative fountains or water features.

Commercial restrictions within the City of Simi Valley include:

• Restaurants and bars may only serve water upon customer request;
• Lodging establishments must provide guests the option to decline daily linen service;
• Commercial car washes and decorative fountains must use recirculated water.

And irrigation restrictions to customers provided water by the City will change November 1:

• Further reduce irrigation beginning November 1, 2014 to only 30 minutes per irrigation/zone, through March 31, 2015.

Visit www.bewaterwise.com for water supply updates, water conservation resources, rebates, incentive programs and more. For local information and resources such as Water Wise Gardening in Ventura County, visit www.simivalley.org/waterconservation.