California is facing one of the most severe droughts in history. In response to the drought, the State of California and the City of Bakersfield have implemented specific drought-related guidelines and restrictions. These restrictions are applicable to all City residents.
As a result of recently revised state conservation regulations, the City Council approved a new water conservation target of 9 percent in June 2016. The percentage target is compared to 2013 usage figures to determine if conservation goals are met.
Domestic water users are asked to continue to implement water conservation measures to ensure the City can continue to meet its conservation target. Most regulations, such as alternating outdoor watering days, remain in effect.
The City Council approved an emergency ordinance which includes a limit on thenumber of days City water users can use potable water to irrigate grass and other ornamental landscaping. As of April 23, 2015, all City water users are required to restrict daily outdoor watering based on the address of the property being irrigated.
If the property address is an even number, outdoor irrigation is allowed on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday only.
Violators of the City's outdoor watering ordinance are subject to administrative fines of up to $1,000 per occurrence.
The limited day water regulation is in addition to all other rules and regulations currently enacted by the State Water Resources Control Board:
In May 2016, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted a revised statewide water conservation approach. This approach replaces the prior percentage reduction-based water conservation standard with a localized self-certification model. This allows a local water supplier to be able to account for its unique circumstance of water supplies and develop a local water conservation target.
This new methodology along with other watering restrictions will become a part of the state's extended emergency regulations for urban water conservation and will be effective through the end of January 2017.
As a result of the revised state conservation regulations, the City Council approved a new water conservation target of 9 percent in June 2016. The percentage target is compared to 2013 usage figures to determine if conservation goals are met.
For more information on the latest state-mandated water regulations, please visit the State Water Resources Control Board Drought Web Site.
If you have questions regarding local watering restrictions or would like more information on conservation-related programs and rebates within the City, you are encouraged to contact the City Water Resources Department at (661) 326-3715.