Waste is NOT an option!

As news trickles down about California’s drought situation being more dire than realized, the call to conserve water takes an urgent tone to act fast and conserve.

Scientists at Jet Propulsion Lab and UC Irvine were shocked to find about 40 million-acre feet of groundwater was depleted over a nine-year study.

That’s equivalent to trillions of gallons of water that can provide enough water to all the homes in Southern California for up to six years.

Cities like Pasadena and Arcadia are considering emergency water restrictions and mandatory rules in the near future.

Here are tips on what we can do to help, and the different emergency measures both cities are considering:

Outdoor:

1- Don’t over-water lawns: 1 to 3 times a week is enough.

♦ Pasadena is considering limiting outdoor watering to 3 days a week: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

♦ The city of Arcadia is considering a tougher rule: No hose watering of lawns and sidewalks.

2- Promptly repair broken sprinklers, faucet and toilet leaks.

♦ Pasadena officials are considering requiring water leaks to be fixed within 72 hours.

3- Use a broom – not a hose – to clean driveways and pavement.

♦ Pasadena is considering fines for excessive water flow or runoff onto pavement, gutters or ditches from watering or irrigating landscapes or vegetation of any kind.

4- Talk to friends and neighbors and ask them to help save water.

♦ Pasadena repeat offenders can be fined up to $500 per violation for residential customers, and up to $1,000 per violation for all non-residential accounts.

♦ Arcadia proposal: Drinking water served only by request in restaurants and cafes.

Indoor:

1- Talk to family members or roommates and ask them to help save water.

2- Take shorter showers: 5 minutes or less.

3- Turn off the faucet when brushing teeth or shaving.

4- Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes.

5- Install water-efficient fixtures and appliances – get rebate!

* Pasadena city officials will be considering the emergency water restrictions on Monday, July 28. If approved, they will go into effect August 1.

* Arcadia city officials will be considering the new regulations August 5.