Pasadena Water & Power to implement Phase 1 Water Shortage

Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) officials are recommending that the Pasadena City Council determine a local water emergency exists and to implement the Level 1 Water Supply Shortage Plan at its July 28, 2014 meeting. The recommendation supports the July 15, 2014 State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) approval to mandate actions to conserve water supplies throughout California.

Under Pasadena’s water waste prohibitions ordinance Chapter 13.10, the Level 1 shortage plan limits outdoor watering to three days per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during summer months and requires water leaks to be fixed within 72 hours.

To declare a Level 1 shortage, the City must hold a public hearing and receive City Council approval. The Council is currently scheduled for its July 21, 2014 meeting to consider setting the actual hearing for the City Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting July 28, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 100 N. Garfield Ave., Second Floor.
The State Water Board decision requires statewide adoption of four water waste restrictions that are already in place in Pasadena.
“As early adopters of these measures, the City believes it’s important for everyone conserve water. These new regulations will ensure that everyone in the state will join Pasadena residents in this important effort,” said Eric Klinkner, PWP Chief Deputy General Manager.
The City approved 13 permanent water waste prohibitions in 2009 as part of Chapter 13.10 ordinance. These measures will remain in effect under the Level 1 Shortage, including:
•No watering outdoors between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., except with a hand-held container or hose with a shut-off nozzle.
•No watering during periods of rain.
•No excessive water flow or runoff onto pavement, gutters or ditches from watering or irrigating landscapes or vegetation of any kind.
•No washing down paved surfaces unless for safety or sanitation, in which case a bucket, a hose with a shut-off nozzle, a cleaning machine that recycles water or a low-volume/high-pressure water broom must be used.
•No washing vehicles except by using a hand-held bucket or similar container or hose equipped with a water shut-off nozzle

A complete list of Pasadena’s water waste restrictions is available at PWPweb.com/WaterWaste
Fines for repeat offenders can be up to $500 per violation for residential customers, and up to $1,000 per violation for all non-residential accounts.

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