South San Francisco, CA March 16, 2022 Submitted by Emily Hernandez, CalWater
Utility Hosting Online Public Meeting to Educate Customers on New Drought Restrictions, Conservation Programs
In light of worsening drought conditions, California Water Service (Cal Water) yesterday requested to move into Stage 2 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in the Bayshore District with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The utility will host a public meeting on Wednesday, April 6 to educate Bayshore customers – which includes those in its Mid-Peninsula and South San Francisco systems – about Stage 2 restrictions, including outdoor watering limits and increased water waste penalties, and provide information on conservation programs and tools available to help customers reduce their water use. The workshop will be held virtually at **7:30 p.m. at www.calwater.com/stage2. (**edit time)
Cal Water representatives will provide details about the new irrigation restrictions as part of Stage 2 and discuss current prohibited uses of water. Some of the restrictions include:
- Outdoor landscape irrigation is limited to two days per week between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., unless local ordinances state otherwise. Addresses ending in odd numbers may water on Tuesday and Saturday, while addresses that end in even numbers may water on Wednesday and Sunday.
- All leaks, breaks, or other malfunctions in a customer’s plumbing fixtures and/or irrigation system must be repaired within five business days of written notification by Cal Water.
- Vehicles may only be washed with a hose that has a shutoff nozzle or similar device.
- Water may not be used on driveways or sidewalks, unless for health and safety purposes.
- No watering of outdoor landscapes may occur during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall, considered to be a quarter-inch.
- Restaurants may only serve water upon request, and hotels and motels must provide guests with the option of not having towels and linens laundered daily.
Customers will be receiving detailed information in the mail about Stage 2 and the meeting. The presentation will be available online at www.calwater.com/drought after the meeting. If approved by the CPUC, Cal Water’s application would become effective April 15, 2022.
“We are taking a customer-first approach to help residents and businesses understand the requirements of Stage 2 of our Water Shortage Contingency Plan—which we have been preparing for since the last drought,” said Ross Moilan, Bayshore District Manager. “We also want our Bayshore customers to know that we are here to help them reduce their water use as we face ongoing drought conditions. As part of our promise to providing customers quality, service, and value, we offer a variety of conservation programs and encourage them to take advantage of these resources to help save water every day.”
At the meeting, representatives will also provide details about Cal Water’s industry-leading conservation programs to help save water, including:
- Lawn-to-garden rebate of $3 per square foot of lawn removed and replaced with low-water use landscaping
- Spray-to-drip rebate of $0.50 per square foot of landscaping converted from standard spray irrigation to a drip system
- Rebates on high-efficiency appliances and devices, with certain rebates recently doubled
- A free Smart Landscape Tune-Up Program that includes an irrigation system evaluation along with installation of efficient devices and repair of most irrigation leaks at no cost
- A free conservation kit that includes a garden hose nozzle with shutoff valve, high-efficiency showerheads, faucet aerators, and more for residential customers
Program details and additional conservation resources can be found on calwater.com/conservation.