WATER DISTRICT SETS PLAN FOR CONSERVATION GOAL IS 25 PERCENT REDUCTION.Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer PALMDALE- In the wake of a modest winter in Northern California Northern California, sometimes referred to as NorCal, is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The region contains the San Francisco Bay Area, the state capital, Sacramento; as well as the substantial natural beauty of the redwood forests, the northern , the Palmdale Water District is starting a voluntary conservation program and re-establishing a 1991 drought policy aimed at those wasting water. The district set a goal of a 25 percent reduction in water consumption by its customers through 2001. Conservation on that level would save about 3,500 acre-feet of water, enough to supply approximately 7,000 families for a year. ``It's a goal to get us through the reminder of the year,'' Dennis LaMoreaux, the district's general manager, said Tuesday. ``It's doable.'' The district is also reviving a policy - first enacted during the drought of 1991 - that would fine customers up to $1,000 for wasting water. Under the policy, when a customer is seen wasting water the district would take a photo of the activity, provide a written notice to the customer, and log the warning on the customer's service record. The district could charge the customer $50 for a second offense. If a second offense does occur, the district would issue a notice stating that if the waste of water continues the customer risks disconnection dis·con·nect v. dis·con·nect·ed, dis·con·nect·ing, dis·con·nects v.tr. 1. To sever or interrupt the connection of or between: disconnected the hose. 2. of service. After a third offense, the customer faces a disconnection of service and a $1,000 fine. Service would be restored only when a customer provides evidence satisfactory to the district that the waste will no longer continue. The Palmdale Water District has had success with voluntary conservation in the past. In 1991, the State Water Project delivered only 10 percent of the amount of water Palmdale had requested. In that year, a voluntary conservation effort reduced usage by 20 percent, and mandatory conservation measures were avoided. Because of the drier than normal winter in Northern California, the State Water Project is only able to deliver 35 percent of the water requested by water agencies. Last year, the Palmdale Water District delivered 23,500 acre-feet of water to customers. About 60 percent of the district's water comes from the State Water Project. TIPS Here are water conservation tips from the Palmdale Water District: --Use a broom broom, common name for plants of two closely related and similar Old World genera, Cytisus and Genista, of the family Leguminosae (pulse family). instead of a hose for washing off sidewalks, walkways, buildings, walls, patios, driveways, parking areas, or other paved surfaces Noun 1. paved surface - a level horizontal surface covered with paving material apron - a paved surface where aircraft stand while not being used horizontal surface, level - a flat surface at right angles to a plumb line; "park the car on the level" . --Use a bucket or a hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle An orifice in an inkjet print head through which ink is sprayed onto the paper. Print heads with six thousand or more nozzles are common in today's printers. Nozzle when washing motor vehicles, trailers, boats and other types of equipment. --Repair all leaks from indoor and outdoor plumbing fixtures. A faucet dripping dripping 1. continuous discharge of an exudate or secretion. 2. rendered beef fat. at the rate of one drop per second wastes 2,700 gallons of water annually. --Reduce watering of lawn, landscape, and other turf areas to every other day. --Position your sprinklers to water only landscaped areas. --If you operate or maintain a commercial nursery, golf course, park, schoolyard, or other public open space, reduce watering to every third day. Restrict watering time between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. unless reclaimed water Reclaimed water, sometimes called recycled water, is former wastewater (sewage) that has been treated and purified for reuse, rather than discharged into a body of water. is being used. --If you operate a restaurant, hotel, cafe, cafeteria cafeteria: see restaurant. , or other public place where food is served, serve drinking water drinking water supply of water available to animals for drinking supplied via nipples, in troughs, dams, ponds and larger natural water sources; an insufficient supply leads to dehydration; it can be the source of infection, e.g. leptospirosis, salmonellosis, or of poisoning, e.g. only on request. CAPTION(S): box Box: TIPS (see text) |
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