Santa Fe Irrigation District Declares
Level 2 Drought Condition, Effective July 1
Drought Response Level 2 mandates water conservation measures due to continuing dry conditions and a reduction in deliveries from the San Diego County Water Authority
May 21, 2009
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif.—The Santa Fe Irrigation District (SFID) Board of Directors today declared a Drought Response Level 2 Condition, mandating water conservation measures for the District's customers, effective July 1, 2009. The Level 2 condition will remain in effect until the Board determines the restrictions are no longer necessary.
The Board set a target of a 6 percent reduction in water use, stating that increased water conservation is needed to minimize the effects of water supply shortages and to provide a reliable supply of water "essential to public health, safety and welfare."
"This Level 2 declaration is a necessary outgrowth of the prolonged drought, restrictions on water exports from the Bay-Delta, and the reduction in water deliveries from the San Diego County Water Authority," said Michael Bardin, general manager of the SFID.
Last month, the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) announced an 8 percent reduction in deliveries to its member agencies for FY 2010, which came on the heels of the Metropolitan Water District's announcement that it would reduce deliveries to the SDCWA by 13 percent.
Moreover, climate models from the National Weather service and regional water resource planning scenarios indicate that the county may continue to experience water shortages over the next few years.
"Statewide and regional water storage levels are still low and current regulatory restrictions, coupled with continued dry weather, offer little prospect that reserves will be increasing in the near future," Bardin added. "The Level 2 restrictions enable the District to control water use, provide essential water supplies, and plan and implement water management measures in a fair and orderly manner for the benefit of the public."
Under the Level 2 Condition, mandatory water conservation measures include:
- All voluntary conservation measures included in Level 1, declared by the Board on Oct. 8, 2008.
- No washing down of paved surfaces, except when it is necessary to alleviate safety or sanitation hazards.
- Use positive shut-off nozzles on hoses or use buckets when hand-watering plants.
- Limit lawn watering and landscape irrigation, using sprinklers, to no more than ten (10) minutes per watering station per assigned day from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Irrigation systems using weather-based controllers, drip/micro-irrigation and stream rotor systems are exempt from the 10-minute-per-station restriction.
- Limit residential and commercial landscape irrigation during the months of June through October to no more than three days a week. Addresses ending with even numbers are allowed to irrigate Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. Addresses ending with odd numbers are allowed to irrigate Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Apartments, condominiums, and business are allowed to irrigate Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Limit residential and commercial landscape irrigation during the months of November through May to once a week. Addresses ending with even numbers are allowed to irrigate on Tuesday. Addresses ending with odd numbers are allowed to irrigate on Thursday. Apartments, condominiums, and businesses are allowed to water on Wednesday.
- Hand-watering using positive shut-off nozzles on hoses or using buckets only on the irrigation schedule established for automatic irrigation systems.
- Limit irrigation of nursery and commercial growers' products from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. only. Watering is permitted at any time with a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shut-off nozzle, a bucket, or when a drip/microirrigation system/equipment is used. Irrigation of nursery propagation beds is permitted at any time. Watering of livestock is permitted at any time.
- Stop water waste resulting from inefficient landscape irrigation, such as runoff, low head drainage, or overspray.
- Repair all leaks within 72 hours of notification by the District.
- Stop operating ornamental fountains or similar decorative water features unless recycled water is used.
- Use recycled or non-potable water for construction purposes when available.
The penalties for violation of mandatory water conservation measures range from notification by letter for a first violation to an administrative fine of $500 for a fourth violation in a one-year period, in accordance with Section 17.12 of the District's Drought Response Policies and Procedures-Violations and Penalties.
The Level 2 declaration does not implement water allocations or restrict the issuance of new potable-water service meters.
For more information on the mandatory water-use restrictions, visit the District's Web site: www.sfidwater.org.
Follow District announcements on Twitter: twitter.com/SFID.
About Santa Fe Irrigation District
The Santa Fe Irrigation District provides water and related services to residential, commercial and agricultural customers in the communities of Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach and Fairbanks Ranch. The District serves about 22,000 customers in a 16-square-mile area. The District supplies over 4.5 billion gallons (or 13,500 acre feet) of water per year to its customers, using a blend of local water from Lake Hodges and imported water purchased through the San Diego County Water Authority. The District administers and operates the jointly owned R.E. Badger Filtration Plant, a 40-million-gallon-per-day water-treatment plant. The District has historical rights to local water supplies from Lake Hodges and the San Dieguito Reservoir.
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