New Water Rules Begin July 1

by The Editors on June 14, 2009

It’s summer in this desert we call Carlsbadistan and that means one thing: water conservation. Beginning July 1, 2009 the Carlsbad Municipal Water District’s new watering schedule goes into effect as part of the Level 2 Drought Alert.

For all the details on exactly what you can do with water this summer, follow the jump.New watering schedule goes into effect July 1

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Residents and businesses served by the Carlsbad Municipal Water District will be limited to watering only certain days of the week as part of the Level 2 Drought Alert declared by the district. The new watering schedule runs from July 1 through October 31 and does not apply to commercial growers and nurseries.

· Homes with odd-numbered addresses can water Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.
· Homes with even-numbered addresses can water Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.
· Apartments, condos and businesses can water Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

About 85 percent of the City of Carlsbad gets water service from the Carlsbad Municipal Water District. The southeastern part of the city is served by the Olivenhain Municipal Water District and the Vallecitos Water District.

Olivenhain Municipal Water District has established the same watering schedule as the Carlsbad Municipal Water District. Vallecitos Water District permits residents to water landscapes any three days a week between the restricted hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Other mandatory water use restrictions under the Carlsbad Municipal Water District Level 2 Drought Alert are:

Irrigation
· Limit lawn watering and landscape irrigation to no more than 10 minutes a station, per assigned day (this does not apply to systems using water efficient devices, such as drip irrigation).
· Irrigate landscape between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. only.
· Stop water waste from inefficient landscape irrigation, such as runoff, overspray and misdirected sprinklers.
· Use a bucket or a hose with a shutoff nozzle when watering landscaped areas with no irrigation system.

Washing 

· No washing down of hard surfaces, such as driveways, patios, sidewalks and parking lots with a hose, unless necessary to remove safety or sanitation hazards.
· If washing a vehicle at home, use a bucket and hose equipped with a shutoff nozzle.

Fountains
· Stop operating decorative fountains unless the fountains use reclaimed water.

Leaks
· Repair all water leaks within 72 hours of notification by the water district.

Restaurants and Hotels
· Serve water in restaurants only on request.
· Offer hotel guests the option of not laundering towels and linens daily.

The City of Carlsbad is also subject to the new water conservation rules. During the heat of the summer, some grass and other landscaping at city parks, plants in street medians and landscaping at city facilities may start to turn brown. The city will stop operating the fountain on the corner of Grand Avenue and State Street in the village. City buildings are undergoing water audits to identify ways to increase conservation even more.

To prepare for water shortages, the city has aggressively expanded the use of recycled water, promoted increased conservation through water audits and rebate programs, and supported the development of a seawater desalination project. The city has also installed synthetic turf on athletic fields at Pine Avenue, Poinsettia Community, Stagecoach Community and Aviara Community parks and on the event area at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park.

For more information visit the Carlsbad Municipal Water District’s Web page at www.carlsbadca.gov/water/ or call 760-438-2722.

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