Frequently Asked Questions About Water Conservation and Usage
- Why are we being asked to conserve water?
- San Diego County is a semi-arid region dependent on imported water supplies
- Below-average rainfall and low snowmelt runoff have resulted in a statewide water shortage
- June 4, 2008 — Governor Schwarzenegger proclaimed a statewide drought
- June 10, 2008 — Metropolitan Water District declared a water supply alert
- December 15, 2008 — a biological opinion issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service imposed a 30 percent restriction on water deliveries from the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project to protect Delta Smelt; this water delivery restriction is likely to remain in place for several years
- April 14, 2009 — Metropolitan Water District announced a 13 percent reduction in deliveries to the San Diego County Water Authority
- April 23, 2009 — San Diego County Water Authority announced an 8 percent reduction in deliveries to its member agencies for FY 2010
- Climate models from the National Weather service and regional water resource planning scenarios indicate that the county may continue to experience water shortages over the next few years
- Am I required to conserve water?
- Yes, beginning July 1, 2009. On May 21, 2009, the Santa Fe Irrigation District Board of Directors declared a Drought Response Level 2 Condition for the District’s service area. The declaration institutes mandatory water conservation measures for the District’s residential and business customers.
- See Drought Response Level 2 Basics for details.