The San Diego County Water Authority on Tuesday released an enhanced version of WaterSmartSD.org, the region's comprehensive online resource for helping residents and businesses make water-efficient choices indoors and outdoors.
Improvements to the site include:
A record-breaking tropical rainstorm over the weekend has triggered state and local requirements to turn off irrigation systems. By state law, it’s illegal to irrigate landscapes during measurable rainfall and for 48 hours afterward. As a practical matter, irrigation systems can be left off for much longer after the significant rain that drenched San Diego County on Saturday and Sunday.
Urban potable water use in San Diego County declined by approximately 26 percent in June 2015 compared to June 2013, according to preliminary numbers released by the San Diego County Water Authority. That follows a decrease of 30 percent in May compared to May 2013 – an accomplishment that was aided by unusually cool and wet weather.
A thunderstorm soaking many parts of San Diego County this afternoon means residents and businesses must turn off their irrigation systems for at least 48 hours after the rain ends. By state law, it’s illegal to irrigate landscapes during measurable rainfall and for 48 hours afterward. As a practical matter, irrigation systems can be left off for much longer after a significant rain event.
The San Diego region recorded its fourth consecutive month of significant water-use reductions since state mandates started in June, decreasing urban potable water use by 26 percent in September compared to September 2013, according to preliminary numbers released today by the San Diego County Water Authority.
Despite strong El Niño conditions that could generate above-average rainfall in Southern California, the San Diego County Water Authority today urged residents and businesses to maintain extraordinary water conservation efforts in light of on-going state mandates and continued uncertainty about whether El Niño will deliver significant precipitation to critical watersheds in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains.
Once again this fall, the San Diego County Water Authority and 11 member agencies have partnered with The Home Depot to offer significant savings on water-efficient plants at San Diego County Garden Friendly Plant Fairs from Chula Vista to Oceanside starting Sept. 26. In addition, the Water Authority and member agencies are holding several free workshops around the region that teach homeowners the basics of WaterSmart landscape makeovers.
Over the first three months of state-mandated savings, the San Diego region reduced urban potable water use by 27 percent compared to the same period in 2013, beating the regional aggregate target of 20 percent. Conserved water in San Diego County is being stored locally for future use, a valuable asset should drought conditions continue into 2016 or beyond.
The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors on Thursday unanimously adopted an updated water facilities master plan and a Climate Action Plan, along with an environmental analysis of the two long-range strategies. The package will serve as a roadmap through 2035 for future capital projects and responding to climate change as it relates to activities within the agency.
As California moves further into a third consecutive dry year, the San Diego County Water Authority and its member agencies encourage residents and businesses to take water-saving actions during national Fix a Leak Week, March 17-23.
While household leaks may seem minor, they waste more than 1 trillion gallons a year nationwide, equivalent to the annual household water use of more than 11 million homes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which sponsors the annual anti-leak campaign.