San Diego in a Level 2 Drought Alert

Effective June 1, 2009, San Diego will be in a Level 2 Drought Alert. Level 2 includes many mandatory water restrictions. In addition, all voluntary Level 1 conservation practices become mandatory. The Level 2 restrictions include:

• Landscape irrigation is limited to no more than three assigned days per week from June 1- Oct. 31. Those days are:
  • Homes with odd-numbered addresses can water: Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday
  • Homes with even-numbered addresses can water: Saturday, Monday & Wednesday
  • Apartments, Condos and Businesses can water: Monday, Wednesday & Friday
• On your watering day, you may only water before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
• Landscape irrigation using sprinklers is limited to no more than ten minutes maximum per watering station per assigned day (does not apply to drip, micro-irrigation or stream rotor systems).
• Trees and shrubs not irrigated by a landscape irrigation system may be watered no more than three assigned days per week by using a hand-held container, hand-held hose with positive shut-off nozzle, or low-volume soaker hose.
• Irrigation of nursery and commercial growers' products is permitted in the hours between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. or at any time when using a hand-held hose with a positive shut-off nozzle, hand-held container, or drip, micro-irrigation.
• Irrigation of nursery propagation beds is permitted at any time.
• Vehicle washing is permitted only in the hours between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. with a hand-held container or a hand-held hose with a positive shut-off nozzle for quick rinses, or at any time on the immediate premises of a commercial car wash. Vehicle washing required for public health and safety is exempt.
• Water use by commercial car washes which do not use partially re-circulated water will be reduced in volume by an amount determined by the City Council.
• All leaks must be stopped or repaired upon discovery or within 72 hours of notification by the City of San Diego.
• Bird baths, koi ponds and any ornamental water feature using a re-circulating pump and which does not shoot water into the air are allowed under Level 2. Water fountains which discharge into the air a jet or stream of water are banned under Level 2 restrictions. However, these fountains may be operated for maintenance purposes. Any water feature that does not re-circulate water is banned.
• Use of recycled or non-potable water is required for construction purposes when available.
• Water use from fire hydrants is limited to fire fighting, City meter installation as part of the Fire Hydrant Meter Program, and for public health and safety reasons.
• Construction operations will not use water obtained by a fire hydrant meter for uses other than normal construction activity.

In addition to these Level 2 requirements, all Level 1 voluntary restrictions are now mandatory. These include:

• City of San Diego water customers must prohibit excessive irrigation and must immediately correct leaks in their private water systems. The City's regulations now state that customers "shall not allow water to leave their property due to drainage onto adjacent properties or public or private roadways or streets or gutters due to excessive irrigation and/or uncorrected leaks."
• Customers cannot use a running hose to wash down sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, tennis courts, patios or other paved areas, except to alleviate immediate safety or sanitation hazards, unless that hose is connected to a water efficient device such as a commercial water broom.
• Overfilling of swimming pools and spas is strictly prohibited.
• Vehicles may only be washed at a commercial car wash or by using a hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle or with a hand-held water container.
• The City will not provide new water service connections for customers using single pass-through cooling systems.
• All new conveyer car wash and commercial laundry systems connections will be required to employ a recirculation water system.
• Restaurants and other food establishments shall only serve and refill water for patrons upon request.
• Guests in hotels, motels, and other commercial lodging establishments will be provided the option of not laundering towels and linens daily.

These restrictions are permanent and are now in place year-round. San Diego residents are encouraged to report water waste by calling the Water Hotline at (619) 515-3500.