Proceed With Conservation; Another Dry Year May Be Ahead

By Stephanie Nevins, ACWD Water Conservation Supervisor

California is likely headed for a third consecutive dry year. There is no significant rain in the forecast. The first snow survey of 2014 measured a snowpack at 20 percent of average. And by all accounts, statistics and available data, 2013 was the driest calendar year on record. As a result, the Department of Water Resources has set their initial allocation for its State Water Project recipients very low.

So you may be wondering, as a customer of Alameda County Water District, how will this impact you?

Well, first of all ACWD would like to thank its customers for using water wisely -demands have remained low since our last extended dry period. ACWD customer conservation efforts have really paid off, effectively lessening the impact of this continuing dry weather.

And there is more good news. Over the past couple of decades, ACWD ratepayers have made it possible for ACWD to invest in water projects that have and will continue to help offset this lack of snow and rain.

These investments include the development of a diverse water supply portfolio, construction of the Newark Desalination Facility, and participation in a groundwater “bank” in Kern County that provides for a dry year reserve water supply. Pulling from the Kern County water bank and increasing production from water sources under local control (Desalination) allows ACWD to get through dry spells of limited duration while substantially reducing the need for measures such as mandatory rationing.

And it is still early – significant rainfall typically comes between January and March.

But while ACWD is not sounding the dry year alarm just yet, we are keeping a close eye on the situation. The reality is that water stored in the Sierra snowpack and run-off from the Alameda Creek Watershed account for a hefty percentage of ACWD’s supply.

So we are asking our customers to continue their conservation efforts. Here is a list of some conservation tips and tricks to keep in mind:

·         Find and fix leaks.

·         Install high-efficiency clothes washers.

·         Take shorter showers.

·         Shorter, cooler days mean your landscaping needs significantly less water than in the summer. Once a week should be plenty while it is dry this winter – but if we get rain – please turn the system completely off.

·         Water landscaping in the morning before the sun is overhead.

·         Adjust sprinklers to avoid watering the sidewalk or driveway.

·         Even better, put in drip irrigation for shrubs, trees, and gardens.

·         Reduce lawn areas and choose drought tolerant plants for your landscapes.

·         Get your car washed at a commercial car wash that recycles water.

For more information about ACWD’s water conservation programs, please visit the ACWD website at www.acwd.org.