SALINAS VALLEY — In light of worsening drought conditions, California Water Service (Cal Water) has requested to move into Stage 2 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in the Salinas and King City districts with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
The utility will host a public meeting on Tuesday, May 31, to educate Salinas and King City customers about what Stage 2 means, including outdoor watering limits and increased water waste penalties, and provide information on conservation programs and tools available to help customers reduce their water use.
The workshop will be held virtually at 5:30 p.m. at calwater.com/stage2.
Cal Water representatives will provide details about the new irrigation restrictions as part of Stage 2 and discuss current prohibited uses of water. Some of the restrictions include:
- Outdoor landscape irrigation limited to two days per week between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., unless local ordinances state otherwise. Addresses ending in odd numbers may water on Tuesday and Saturday, while addresses that end in even numbers may water on Wednesday and Sunday.
- 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, considered to be a quarter-inch.
- 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.
The presentation will be available online at calwater.com/drought after the meeting. If approved by the CPUC, Cal Water’s application would become effective June 10, 2022.
“We are taking a customer-first approach to help residents and businesses understand the requirements of Stage 2 of our Water Shortage Contingency Plan — which we have been preparing for since the last drought,” said Brenda Granillo, Salinas District Manager. “We also want our Salinas and King City customers to know that we are here to help them reduce their water use as we face even drier conditions. As part of our promise to providing 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 meeting, representatives will also provide details about Cal Water’s industry-leading conservation programs to help save water. Program details and additional conservation resources can be found on calwater.com/conservation.
Cal Water serves about 123,200 people through 31,600 service connections in the Salinas Valley.
