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Tag: Stage 3

  • Citrus Heights Water Use Drops 20%, While Statewide Use Rises

    According to the Citrus Heights Water District, users cut overall water consumption by 20 percent so far this year and will not see any additional reduction requirements from the District — despite other water suppliers resorting to mandatory fines and penalties.

    Photo by Matthew Bowden.
    Photo by Matthew Bowden.

    In an email response to water questions raised by residents, CHWD said its approach “has been and will continue to be education and working with customers to reduce water use,” and that it “has no intent of reviewing individual meter data to enforce a 20 percent reduction goal.”

    In a July Water Update the District said it calculated its water use reduction percentage by comparing overall water use during the first six months of 2014 with the same time period in 2013, finding a total reduction of 20.6 percent.

    Following statewide emergency water regulations implemented on July 29, a statement on the CHWD website said its existing Stage 3 Water Warning complies with the new regulations, and that residents will continue to be asked to cut water use by 20 percent. The “Stage 3” warning lists 11 conservation requirements and has been in effect for CHWD users since January 14, 2014.

    A full list of “Stage 3” requirements can be found on the District’s website.

  • Water District: Use Dropped by 27%, Conservation Working

    Watering Strawberries during Stage 3 Drought
    Hose ends must be equipped with automatic shut-off devices, as part of the Stage 3 water warning by the Citrus Heights Water District.

    The Citrus Heights Water District announced that its customers reduced water use by 27 percent in response to a Stage 3 water warning, according to an April water supply update by the District.

    “CHWD thanks its customers for this outstanding conservation effort and asks everyone to keep up the good work,” read the April update, which also emphasized that customers are still asked to continue reducing water use by 20 percent. “Continuing to conserve water now can help extend our water supplies for the year ahead.”

    According to David Kane, assistant manager for CHWD, the District so far does not plan to raise water rates in response to the drought, and such a move would only be considered if a further motivator were needed to encourage customers to reduce water use.

    The Stage 3 water warning for CHWD customers comes with 11 regulations, including a ban on water run-off from properties and a requirement that an automatic shut-off device be attached at the end of hoses being used.

    Additionally, the warning states that restaurants “shall serve water only upon request,” and landscape irrigation is to be reduced by 11 to 25 percent.

    A full list of the Stage 3 regulations are available on the District’s website.

    As part of its conservation efforts, the District stopped using water from Folsom Lake in January, and began relying exclusively on its five groundwater wells. The wells that can produce 9.1 million gallons of water each day — enough to meet the average demand for water during the winter months, but not during the summer when outdoor watering peaks.

    Officials said that customers may have noticed a slight change in water taste, or more water spots from the dishwasher, due to the switch to in water source.

    CHWD covers about two-thirds of Citrus Heights residents, and its water supply extends to portions of Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Carmichael, and Roseville.