Stage 2 of Contingency Plan in Effect in Visalia District

As part of its drought management and response plan, Cal Water moves into Stage 2 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan today in the Visalia District. Stage 2 restrictions include additional outdoor watering limits, observing the City of Visalia’s ordinance that eliminates irrigation through the winter, and increased water waste penalties.

Cal Water filed its application to move into Stage 2 with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in October and held a public meeting in November to help educate residents and businesses about updated irrigation restrictions, water waste penalties, and programs to help reduce water use. Based on the City’s ordinance, outdoor turf irrigation is prohibited; however, irrigation of trees, shrubs, and non-turf ornamental landscapes is permitted between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. when using drip irrigation, a hand-watering bucket, or a hose fitted with a shutoff valve.

Additionally, penalties for violating the prohibited uses of water have doubled. Some of the common restrictions include:

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.
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.

“We have been preparing for these increasingly serious drought conditions, and Stage 2 of our Water Shortage Contingency Plan helps us conserve while continuing to support our customers and provide quality, service, and value to them,” said Stephen Johnson, Visalia District Manager. “We offer Visalia customers a variety of conservation programs and encourage them to take advantage of these resources to help save water every day.”

Cal Water’s industry-leading conservation programs include:

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 residential conservation kit that includes a garden hose nozzle with shutoff valve, high-efficiency showerheads, faucet aerators, and more for residential customers

More conservation programs, details, and a full list of the prohibited uses of water can be found in the conservation section.