Severe Drought and Water Conservation Update

California has experienced the driest rainy season on record, reaching 126-year lows across the state, according to the meteorological consulting firm, Golden Gate Weather Services. On July 8, Governor Newsom expanded his drought emergency declaration to include 50 of California’s 58 counties, including Calaveras County. No conservation mandates have been imposed but state officials are calling on all Californians to voluntarily reduce water consumption by 15% compared to 2020 levels.

CCWD prioritizes initiatives aimed at water conservation practices to maintain the health and sustainability of our watersheds, including major leak reduction and pipeline replacement efforts in recent years. Although no conservation mandates are being enacted at this time, CCWD encourages customers to conserve water and prepare for extended dry conditions.

CCWD is fortunate to have access to adequate water supplies and stored water, including Spicer Meadow and Hogan Reservoirs. Therefore, CCWD is confident it can ensure a reliable water supply for its customers in 2021. However, as responsible stewards of our watersheds, it is vital to do our part to address water shortage conditions and prepare for the potential scenario of an extended, multi-year drought.

Here are some water-saving ideas you can use at home:
• Limit outdoor water use.
• Establish appropriate run-times for landscape irrigation to eliminate excessive water runoff.
• Consider installing drought tolerant landscaping.
• Avoid watering during the hottest portion of the day. Otherwise, some of the water will be lost to evaporation.
• Use a broom to clean sidewalks and pavements instead of a hose.
• Fix leaky faucets, toilets, appliances, and sprinklers. Leaks vary in amount, but they can account for a lot of wasted water over time.
• Operate your clothes and dishwashers with full loads only, even if the machine has an adjustable load setting.
• Take shorter showers with high-efficiency showerheads. Each minute you cut saves 2.5 gallons.

For additional information on tips for water conservation, visit saveourwater.com. CCWD continues to track in-county water conditions using the Public Water Resources Data Packet. This data packet provides daily info on total precipitation, reservoir and lake storage levels, and state drought conditions. You can access the data packet here: https://ccwd.org/water-resources/public-data-packet/. For more info regarding current water conditions and CCWD’s conservation efforts, please contact Jessica Self, CCWD’s External Affairs Manager, at (209) 754-3123 or via e-mail at jessicas@ccwd.org.