San Francisco: Emergency Irrigation Restrictions

Public Utilities Commission PassedMandatory Irrigation Conservation MeasureswhichComply in Order to ReduceWasteful Outdoor Water Use

The new restrictions for outdoor irrigation take effect mid-September. Only water customers that have metered irrigation accounts will be issued a usage allocation based on a 10% reduction of their 2013 usage.

During that timeframe, customers' usage must not exceed their allocation. Customers will be able to track how they are doing on each bill. At the next scheduled meeting of the SFPUC, Commissioners will consider an excess use charge of 2x the billing rate for every unit in excess of a customer's allocation. While metered irrigation accounts are the easiest to track, the SFPUC is asking all of its retail customers to comply. Edible food gardens and areas that are irrigated with non-potable water are exempted.

Concurrently, the SFPUC will also be implementing an education-first plan to reduce wasteful outdoor water use by prohibiting certain water-wasting activities, which include:

• Watering outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes excess runoff;
• Using a hose, without a shut-off nozzle, for any purpose;
• Using drinking water in non- recirculating fountains or decorative water devices; and,
• Washing down driveways/sidewalks except for health and safety purposes.

The exemption for health and safety purposes is strictly limited to: the removal of human and animal waste; the removal of liquids and substances that cause odors, sticky, slick and unsafe conditions for pedestrians; and, the elimination of conditions that attract insects and vermin.

Reports of water waste will be tracked through 311. The SFPUC will be focusing on education and training, not policing and fining. Reported water wasters will be sent a warning notice for reported violations. Only after three warning notifications, clear documentation, and a site-visit by SFPUC staff, will citations be considered. Fines will start at $100 per violation and will require approval by the SFPUC General Manager before issuance. Fines are a last resort only and appeals will be routed through the City Controller's office.

The new regulations will assist San Francisco in meeting its 10% conservation request. Fortunately, customers have consistently met and exceeded the 10% voluntary conservation request this summer. This savings-spree is making up for lost time earlier in the year when customers were not meeting their goals.

Source: SFWater

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Taxonomy

• Irrigation
• Conservation
• Water Utility