La Verne residents may struggle to keep their lawns green when once-a-week outdoor watering restrictions start June 1, a measure enacted in response to an emergency order from the region’s largest water wholesaler last month.
In a unanimous vote Monday, May 16, the La Verne City Council adopted their own emergency ordinance to cut outdoor watering to one day a week and ask residents to slash water usage by 20%. Beginning June 1, watering will be permitted 6 p.m. Tuesday to 10 a.m. Wednesday for addresses that end in even numbers and 6 p.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Friday for those ending in odd numbers.
Hand watering of trees is exempt from the one-day-a-week restriction, however, as are drip-irrigation systems, according to the city.
Established fire-hazard zones north of Baseline Road are exempt from the one-day-a-week watering restriction, but must comply with a mandated 20% reduction in overall water consumption.
Due to the worsening state drought, the Department of Water Resources announced a decreased allocation from the State Water Project from 15% to 5% in March. The water project supplies about 30% of the water used in Southern California, including 75% in La Verne.
In April, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California declared a water shortage emergency, ordering outdoor watering restrictions for about 6 million State Water Project-dependent people in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties.
Three Valleys Municipal Water District, an MWD agency that provides water to La Verne and other communities in the San Gabriel and Inland valleys, last month adopted an emergency conservation program that will result in the enforcement of watering limits in La Verne and Claremont, both dependent on the State Water Project.
If the cities fail to meet the district’s guidelines, they face fines of $2,000 per acre foot of water beyond their limitation or a ban on outdoor watering on Sept. 1. The restrictions will be in place through June 30, 2023, unless the Three Valleys board lifts the emergency declaration before that date.
Claremont’s water is delivered by the Golden State Water Co., while La Verne operates its own distribution system.
The Claremont City Council is expected to vote on an ordinance similar to La Verne’s on Tuesday, May 24. If approved, Claremont’s water restrictions would go into effect May 31 and enforcement would start June 1, city spokesperson Bevin Handel wrote in an email on Wednesday.
While La Verne officials have called for the use of less water inside households, outdoor watering is one of the biggest uses of water, contributing to worsening drought conditions. The average resident uses 135 gallons of water per day in La Verne, according to a city staff report.
In July, Gov. Gavin Newsom asked Californians to voluntarily cut water use 15%. But they fell short, reducing water consumption by only 5.8% between July and February.
Last month, Newsom signed an executive order requiring water agencies to begin limiting landscape watering and proposed imposing financial penalties to discourage violations.
La Verne Councilmember Robin Carder said Monday the ordinance will result in much of the city’s landscape “not being as green as residents are used to.”
This is the reality residents will have to get used to, said Councilmember Rick Crosby.
“This is not something that everyone will enjoy, it’s just the state we are in,” Crosby said.
MWD will offer a rebate of $2 per square foot for grass that’s replaced with water-efficient landscaping. Meanwhile, rebates are available from other local water agencies.
