The Faucet

Just days after the Sonoma County Water Agency announced that a 15% voluntary reduction in water use would be all that is necessary to make it through the summer, they have been told by the State to reduce their draws by 25%. So here we go again. Why? It’s the quid pro quo for keeping more winter water in Lake Mendocino… but that’s a whole other can of worms. Bottom line: Those ridiculous (…in California) lawns around gas stations and business parks are probably a thing of the past at last.

The Sonoma County Water Agency on Tuesday cut releases to the river from a much-diminished Lake Mendocino near Ukiah. The action came hours after it received permission from the state Water Resources Control Board late Monday.

But the same order that allows more water to be stored for use this fall also requires strict cuts in water use. Included is a specific prohibition on businesses irrigating lawns between May 1 and Oct. 2 within the water agency’s service area, which extends from Windsor to Petaluma.

“It certainly is going to impact a lot of landscaping in this county,” said Windsor Town Manager Matt Mullan.

The water agency is seeking clarification on the prohibition on commercial irrigation. Officials want to know whether the rule extends to city parks, golf courses and municipal buildings, as well as to businesses that use well water or recycled water, agency spokesman Brad Sherwood said.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 2:11 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.