The Pasadena City Council on June 1, 2015 adopted the City’s Level 2 Water Supply Shortage Plan requiring additional mandatory water restrictions for residents and businesses effective immediately due to the severe drought in California.
The Council action to adopt the Level 2 Plan:
- Bans outdoor watering on Thursdays. Outdoor watering is now allowed only on two days per week, Tuesdays and Saturdays, before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
- Adopts a 28-percent water conservation goal citywide that aligns Pasadena with mandated reductions set by the State
- Reinforces that violators face fines up to $500 per incident
Officials with the Pasadena Water and Power Department (PWP) will regularly report back to the City Council on progress to meet the 28-percent conservation goal. If water savings are not sufficient during the summer, the City Council may have to mandate additional water use restrictions. A new “Water Savings Gauge” is posted on the homepage of the City’s website, www.cityofpasadena.net, and PWP’s webpage, www.PWPweb.com, to help chart water savings with weekly updates.
The Council action also included the following water-use restrictions:
- No turf irrigation within 48-hours following a measurable rain
- No washing hard or paved surfaces using potable water, except as necessary to alleviate safety and/or sanitary hazards
- All master-metered multifamily properties must certify installation of water-efficient shower heads and aerators on faucets by September 30, 2015
- The two-day per week outdoor watering schedule for Tuesdays and Saturdays is effective immediately through October, with watering only before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
- A one-day per week outdoor watering limit takes effect November to March
- All identified water leaks must be fixed within 48 hours
- Filling ornamental lakes and ponds is prohibited
The City is taking these additional steps to reduce City water use, including:
- Retrofitting city medians with low-emitting irrigation systems for trees
- Removing turf at Pasadena fire stations and planting drought-tolerant landscaping
- Turning off all water fountains at City facilities
- Closing the “Splash Pad” water play facility at La Pintoresca Park for the 2015 summer
- Investing in Recycled Water Project & Arroyo Seco Canyon Project to increase water supplies
- Introducing a new graywater program, “Laundry to Landscape”
- Acquiring new technology and hardware to capture water flushed from pipes during maintenance
Stay connected to the City of Pasadena! For water-saving tips and info, visit www.PasadenaSavesWater.com. For general information about PWP, go online to www.PWPweb.com or follow on Twitter @PWPnews. Visit the City’s main website at www.cityofpasadena.net; on Twitter @PasadenaGov, www.twitter.com/pasadenagov, and Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofpasadena. Or call the Citizen Service Center, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at (626) 744-7311.