Cal Water news release

Stage 2 of Water Shortage Contingency Plan in Some Areas

Public Meetings Will Be Held to Educate Customers on New Drought Restrictions, Conservation Programs in Bakerfield, Kern River Valley, Livermore, Los Altos, Redwood Valley, and Visalia Districts

NewsIn light of worsening drought conditions, Cal Water today filed a request with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to move into Stage 2 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in six of our districts (Bakersfield, Kern River Valley, Los Altos, Livermore, Redwood Valley, and Visalia). We will host public meetings in November to educate customers about Stage 2 restrictions, which include outdoor watering limits and increased water waste penalties, and provide information on conservation programs and tools available to help customers reduce their water use. Water budgets are NOT being implemented at this time. Meeting details will be mailed directly to affected customers.

At the meetings, Cal Water representatives will provide details about 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Affected customers will be receiving detailed information in the mail about Stage 2 and the meeting for their district. Presentations will be available on this web site after the meetings for customers who prefer to not attend in person. If approved by the CPUC, Stage 2 would become effective December 14, 2021.

We are taking a customer-first approach and is here to help residents and businesses understand the requirements of Stage 2 of our Water Shortage Contingency Plan, which we have been preparing since the last drought. We also want customers to know that we are here to help them reduce their water use as we face increasingly serious drought conditions. As part of our promise to provide 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 meetings, representatives will also provide details about Cal Water’s industry-leading conservation programs to help save water every day, 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
  • 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 in this web site’s Conservation section.