Water is a critical part of California's way of life. Our economy, our environment and our day-to-day lifestyle need water to flourish. But our water is limited - especially during this historic drought. The lack of rain and snow this winter means we have to stretch the water that we do have. There are a lot of simple ways to reduce the amount of water that we use at home, both inside and outside. Outdoor Water Use Nevada Irrigation District's service area has experienced four consecutive years of below average precipitation. While the 2014-15 precipitation season opened as wetter than average, a lack of snowpack has led to continued drought conditions. Much of California remains abnormally dry; almost two-thirds of the State remains in extreme drought. On March 17, 2015, the State Water Resources Control Board enacted additional drought restrictions aimed at helping Californians reduce water usage by 20 percent. In response to the new restrictions, the Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors declared a modified Stage III drought emergency for treated water users. The following mandatory treated water use restrictions are now in place:
- Outdoor watering restricted to no more than 3 days per week;
- No outdoor watering in the heat of the day (10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.);
- No outdoor watering during and 48 hours after rain;
- No outdoor watering that causes excess runoff;
- Washing down driveways and sidewalks is prohibited unless for health and safety. Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks;
- No washing a motor vehicle with a hose unless the hose is fitted with a shutoff nozzle;
- No use of potable water in a fountain or decorative feature unless the water is recirculated;
- Restaurants can only serve water to customers on request; and
- Hotels and Motels must provide guests with the option to not have towels and linens laundered daily.
Drought measures in effect for users of canal water include:
- Voluntary reductions of 20 percent or more with mandatory reductions possible later in the year if conservation goals are not being met;
- New and increased irrigation water sales are limited to the smallest amount of water necessary for the customer's beneficial use;
- All customers are encouraged to use efficient irrigation practices; and
- The irrigation season, which normally runs April 15 - October 14, could be shortened this year depending on water availability.
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Click the above image for a list of drought tolerant plants for our area. |
The District is requesting all customers reduce water usage by 25 percent as directed by Governor Brown and the State Water Resources Control Board. Water conservation should be a daily habit.
Another consideration in water conservation is planting drought tolerant or native plants that require minimal to no water. Typically, native seedlings may need light watering until they mature and become established.
Household Water Use Saving water at home does not require any significant cost outlay. Although there are water-saving appliances and water conservation systems such as rain barrels, drip irrigation and on-demand water heaters which are more expensive, the bulk of water saving methods can be achieved at little cost.
- Use less water with daily tasks. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, shorten your showers, and wash full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine.
- Check for leaks in the house and outside. Toilets are the #1 household leaks. Check your water meter periodically when all appliances are turned off to see if the meter is still running. If the meter numbers are increasing when all appliances and irrigation is off, check for leaks. Repair leaks as soon as possible.
- Check the toilet flapper inside the tank to see if it is properly situated. Use a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet inside the tank, and then in a few minutes, check to see if any color makes its way into the toilet bowl. If so, your toilet tank flapper or another part may not be working properly and may need to be replaced.
- Use an aerator on faucets and showerheads to achieve the same performance while saving water.
- Insulate your water pipes. It's easy and inexpensive to insulate your water pipes with pre-slit foam pipe insulation. You'll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.
- Minimize use of kitchen sink garbage disposal units. In-sink 'garburators' require lots of water to operate properly, and also add considerably to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to maintenance problems. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste.
- Replace inefficient appliances with "Energy Star" high efficiency appliances. The following is a list of California high efficiency standards for household appliances:
- Toilets 1.28 gallons/flush
- Showerheads 2.2 gallons/minute
- Faucets 2.2 gallons/minute
More Water Conservation Resources . . . Check out the Nevada Irrigation District's conservation web page for more on what NID is doing to help Nevada County residents save water. Also see their link to a Water Use Calculator for tips on how you can make your home more water-efficient. The Save Our Water website has a great interactive feature to help you explore ways to save water in your home, yard, and workplace. Some wonderful resources to teach children about water conservation and their role in helping to preserve this precious resource: Conservation Connection Water Sense Kids NID Just for Kids We Want to Hear from You! What successful water-saving tips have you used? Send us your ideas and we will share them in next month's newsletter! |