This past week new water restrictions were put forth by Santa Clarita Water Companies. Both Santa Clarita Water and Valencia Water have passed the following resolutions and it is expected that Newhall Water is right behind. Please use these as a guide to program your timer.
Santa Clarita Water Division
Water Conservation Ordinance No. 43 was approved June 10, 2015 by the CLWA Board of Directors. The State Water Resources Control Board requires a 32% reduction.
- Two days a week to irrigate
- No more than 10 minutes per station per day
- No watering between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Report water waste using an online form
- Efforts for compliance and enforcement include system-wide surveys and notification deliveries
- Penalties will be applied for violations of the above rules
Valencia Water Company
A Resolution was approved on June 16, 2015 by the Valencia Water Company Board of Directors. The State Water Resources Control Board requires a 24% reduction.
- Two days a week to irrigate
- No watering between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Personal Drought Reports and Online Drought Tracking Tool
- Report water waste using an online form
- Penalties will be applied for violations of the restrictions included in the resolution
- Grassroots efforts for compliance and enforcement, including system-wide surveys and notices
For more information on enforcement measures including penalties and exemptions, please contact your water retailer directly.
Let’s put this in perspective, there are things we can do to help besides complying with the water restrictions. We need to be thinking outside the box and install landscapes that are GOOD for our environment, that help us save the water we have, and preserve the earth.
This means we DO NOT want to remove the grass we have and put in gravel. It also means we DO NOT want to remove the grass and put in artificial turf. This means we need to start using proven tools to help the planet, save water, and the added bonus is you’ll have a beautiful garden that is an ecosystem that can sustain itself on less water. YES, it will need water to get it started and established but if you plan NOW and plant when it cools off you can take advantage of any rain we might get in the fall and winter. Water restrictions are tough, no doubt about that but let’s look at the glass as half full and learn from these water restrictions. Let’s allow those water restrictions to lead us to better landscaping practices.
Here are a few things you should consider doing when you take out your lawn and create a beautiful water wise garden:
Take a Watershed approach.
1. Use the sheet mulching process when removing your lawn. Yes, it takes longer to be able to plant ground cover but you can plant every other type of plant and you are creating a living sponge that will add to our ground water. You are creating a watershed on your property full of oxygen, water, and life.
2. Create Rain Gardens. They will help you capture water on your property (it will eventually come) which will help water your plants and will clean the dirty first flush of water that now goes to the ocean and pollutes it.
3. Add Rain Barrels to your garden. If you fill 50 gallon barrels at the end of the rainy season you can use them to water the trees on your property next (hot) summer. Half of the barrel per tree in July, the second half in August and you will have a much happier tree.
4. Use permeable paving in your garden. You will capture more water as it sinks into the soil instead of running across the concrete and into the ocean (more pollution.)
5. Mulch your planter beds. This helps keep the weeds down, the moisture in, and the roots of your plants cool. If you don’t think you can do anything else – you CAN do this.
6. Think about installing a Gray water system. Families that install a gray water system use 26% less water. If you can’t install a system right now, start collecting water in your sinks and showers as you let the water warm up – or even soapy water from dishes and using that water to water plants both indoors and out. I have three 5 gallon buckets (one for each shower and kitchen sink) and three small beach buckets for my bathroom sinks. Yes, I am the crazy woman walking in and out of the house watering plants with 5 gallon buckets but… it saves me money and I’m under my water allowance!
If you’d like a little help designing a water wise garden and navigating the process of a rebate feel free to give me a call at 661-917-3521 or visit my website and contact me there.
