(Updated
7/29/09)
What is a water shortage?
A shortage is declared when our
water supply falls short of meeting the water
demand from our customers.
Why
is there a water shortage?
Multiple years of drought in Southern
California and the entire western U.S. has resulted in
below-normal snowpack and depleted groundwater levels. In
addition, a court-ordered ruling restricts the number of
days that pumps in the State Water Project in Northern
California may run. As a result, the wholesale importer of
water for our region, MWD, receives far less water from the
State Water Project. On July 1, 2009 MWD reduced allocation
to its member agencies, PWP included, in Southern
California.
Who
decided that there is a water shortage?
Based upon
projections for water supply and demand, PWP asked the City
Council to declare that a water shortage exists.
Is conservation mandatory?
The City
Council recently amended the Water Shortage Procedures
Ordinance (PMC 13.10) to permanently prohibit certain forms
of water waste. In addition since a Level 1 water shortage
was declared on July 13, additional restrictions are now in
effect. Adherence to the Water Shortage Procedures
Ordinance is mandatory and enforced with fines.
Read the list of mandatory
prohibitions and restrictions.
HOW LONG
WILL THESE RESTRICTIONS BE IN PLACE?
The water
waste prohibitions are permanent and mandatory. The
Level 1
restriction of watering only on
Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays, and the requirement
to fix leaks and malfunctions within 72 hours will
remain in effect until a water shortage no longer exists.
WHAT IF I
AM WATERING WITH A HOSE OR HAVE DRIP IRRIGATION?
Watering with
a hose and drip irrigation are exempted from the ordinance.
We still recommend that you water before 9:00 am or after
6:00 pm.
IS
THERE A TIME LIMIT TO HOW LONG I CAN WATER?No,
the only limit is the number of days per week and time of
day. You cannot allow excessive water flow to run off onto
streets, sidewalks and driveways
ARE THERE
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATING THE
ORDINANCE?
1.
First Violation: A written notice of violation sent via mail.
2.
Second
Violation: one
hundred dollars ($100).
3.
Third
Violation: two
hundred dollars ($200).
4.
Fourth
Violation: three
hundred dollars ($300).
5.
Fifth and
Subsequent Violations:
five hundred dollars ($500).
(Fines
are doubled for customers with
meters of 1.5 inches are larger.)
CAN I
FILL OR RE-FILL MY POOL?
There are no restrictions on
filling pools in the new ordinance.
HOW CAN I
GET CONSERVATION INFORMATION?
Go to
www.PasadenaSavesWater.Com for conservation tips,
take an online virtual home efficiency tour, and register
for a landscaping workshop.
HOW DO I
REPORT INSTANCES OF WATER WASTE?Call
744-8888 or go to www.PasadenaSavesWater.com
Where does our water come from?
About 35% of PWP’s water supply is
local groundwater; the other 65% is purchased from Metropolitan
Water District. MWD gets its water from
the Bay
Delta region via the State Water Project
and from the Colorado River.
How
long will the shortage last?
PWP
does not know for certain, but our best indication is that the
current water supply conditions are not a short term
problem. The environmental issues in Northern California
could impact our water supply for years to come and if we
continue in the current pattern of drought we will need to
continue to extend our
existing water supply by conserving
as much as possible.
Why
can’t we just get more water from other sources?
PWP is exploring every potential water source available to us,
but conservation is always one of the least expensive and
quickest solutions to ensuring that our water supply will be
available when we need it.
Is
it just in Pasadena or are there other cities affected?
Most cities in Southern California are affected by this
situation. Some are asking
their water customers to reduce their water consumption by
10% or more; others have already
implemented mandatory water reduction plans.
How
is PWP letting people know about the
water Shortage Procedures and the importance
of water conservation?
We are sending
out a special mailing to every PWP water customer,
as well as stuffing bills with pertinent information and
advertising in multiple outlets.
Additionally, we have posted the information on our website
www.PasadenaSavesWater.com. PWP staff is meeting directly with many
of the larger commercial customers and we have printed
information available at City Hall, the Public Libraries,
Community Centers and at all community
events that PWP
attends or sponsors.
If
I see someone wasting water, should I talk to them about it,
or should I just report them to PWP?
PWP
encourages its customers to
share the information regarding water saving measures with
their friends, neighbors and co-workers.
However, we realize
that this could potentially be a delicate subject and some
people will prefer to report these instances directly to PWP.
We have set up a hotline for this purpose and to respond to
questions regarding the water shortage at 626-744-8888. We
also have a website dedicated to water shortage inquiries
and issues at www.pasadenasaveswater.com
I
received a notice from PWP saying that I’m not adhering to
the Water Shortage Procedures, but
I believe PWP
is mistaken. What should I do?
Call
744-7012 to speak to a water shortage specialist who will
assist you through the appeals process.
I
own/work at a restaurant and need to hose down the pavement
for health reasons. Is that ok?
Yes, you need to follow the health
codes. However, in accordance with
the Water Shortage Procedures, you must use a low-volume,
high-pressure attachment or a shut-off nozzle on the hose.
Our
customers expect to be served water immediately, and it
looks bad if we have to be asked for that simple service.
How should our restaurant let our customers know about the
PWP’s policy?
PWP provides printed tent cards
that
explain the necessity for water conservation and supports
restaurants in their effort to reduce their water
consumption.
Won’t my lawn die if I water only once every three days?
If
you follow the watering schedule of not more than every
three days, your lawn should remain healthy. Most people
over water by more than 50% and are surprised at how much
less water is needed for irrigation.
Have we ever had a water shortage before?
Yes,
the last one occurred in 1991.
Is
the current situation more serious than the one that
occurred in 1991?
Yes. It
is a more difficult situation because of the
court ruling
affecting the Bay Delta region where the majority of our purchased
water comes from. In the early 1990’s the water shortage
was due specifically to the drought and ended when the
rainfall levels returned to normal. The
court ruling that restricts pumping in
the Bay Delta region may
impact our water supply for years to come.
Does PWP offer leak detection or water auditing services?
PWP
does offer limited auditing services upon request
for special circumstances. Residential customers can do a
self audit with the H2Ouse
online water saving tool.
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