California Drought
In response to historic drought conditions in California, the State Water Resources Control Board approved new regulations targeting a reduction in statewide water use. The mandatory regulations, approved on March 17, 2015, target both individual water users and local water suppliers to reduce water demand in their communities.
The energy conservation team and Maintenance and Facilities staff has met with each of the district’s four water providers. The state mandates went into effect June 1, 2015. The irrigation department and energy conservation team has implemented and will monitor the water conservation plan to assure the health and safety of students and staff. The following measures are being implemented to reduce water use across the district.
Maintenance and Facilities department has submitted Alternative Compliance Plans or waivers to the water providers to allow the district to alter the irrigation schedules while still trying to meet the overall reduction requirements. These alternate schedules are to ensure the health and safety of the students and staff.
- Outdoor watering using soak and cycle method
- Communicate state and water agency mandates with stakeholders utilizing district website, signs, and meetings
- Monitor monthly water usage to determine actual percentage of water reduction
- Continue irrigation audits and add more sites to the district centralized irrigation control system
- Suspend summer seeding
- Evaluate sites to determine potential non-irrigated zones and/or drought tolerant landscaping zones