City of L.A. Water Conservation Ordinance Remains in Effect, Limiting Watering Days and Prohibiting Water Waste
LOS ANGELES (November 9, 2021)– Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) urges its customers to stay vigilant with their water conservation efforts as the region’s water wholesaler, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), declared a regional drought emergency on Tuesday due to the severe water shortage facing the state and the region.
LADWP receives a large portion of its water purchased from MWD—an average of 41% from 2016 to 2020— which comes from the State Water Project via the California Aqueduct, and the Colorado River system via the Colorado River Aqueduct. On the state level, California is in its second consecutive year of dry conditions, with 2021 being the second driest water year in the state’s recorded history. Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation in October expanding the state’s drought emergency to Los Angeles County along with seven other counties that had been previously been excluded.
MWD’s declaration of a regional water emergency, along with the Governor’s proclamation, serve as an urgent reminder that prohibited uses and mandatory watering restrictions have been in place in the City of Los Angeles since 2009, and that increased patrols and enforcement are being deployed.
Anselmo Collins, Senior Assistant General Manager of LADWP’s Water System says, if everyone cuts back on their water use now, that can add up to meaningful savings. “The drought that we are currently facing is serious. We urge everyone to take a closer look at how they are using water inside and outside their home because the water we save now is water in our reservoirs for next spring and summer when demand typically goes up. We are also closely monitoring supply conditions and may call for additional measures to step up conservation, should that become necessary.”
Since 2009, LADWP has remained at Phase 2 of the city’s Water Conservation Ordinance, limiting outdoor watering with sprinklers to three days a week. People with odd-numbered street addresses may water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; those with even-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Additional ongoing, prohibited uses include:
- Sprinklers with non-conserving nozzles can only run for up to 8 minutes per station; conserving nozzles can run for 15 minutes per station.
- No watering during rain or within 48 hours following rain.
- No watering with sprinklers between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. regardless of the water day.
- No water runoff onto streets, driveways, and gutters.
- No washing of any hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways, driveways, or parking areas using water, except for health and safety needs.
- Hand watering with a self-closing shut-off nozzle on the hose is permitted any day of the week before 9:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m.
- All leaks must be repaired in a timely manner.
- Washing vehicles is permitted using a hose with a self-closing water shut-off nozzle.
To help customers save water and reduce their water bills, LADWP continues to offer a wide array of rebates and incentive programs that encourage water use efficiency for residents and businesses. Through the various LADWP rebate and incentive programs, customers are able to continue saving water while lowering their utility bill. Incentives include a $400 high-efficiency clothes washer rebate, a $3-per-square-foot turf replacement rebate for residential and commercial customers, and technical assistance program incentive of up to $2 million for commercial customers to perform customized water saving improvements at their facilities.
Visit www.ladwp.com/save for more information.
###
