LA VERNE, CA – With the State of California currently experiencing its second driest year on record despite recent storms, the City of La Verne reminds residents to continue their water conservation efforts. While La Verne residents have collectively decreased their water usage over the years, maintaining and expanding these voluntary water-saving practices are the only hope the City has to avoid potential mandatory use restrictions.
This past fall, Governor Newsom issued a proclamation expanding the drought emergency to all 58 counties in the state. This enables the State Water Resources Control Board to ban wasteful water practices, including the use of potable water in fountains, the washing of hard surfaced areas, the irrigation of ornamental turf and more. Read more about Governor Newsom’s proclamation here.
So while we would love to deck the halls with lots of rainfall, for the time being and in response to the State’s proclamation, the City of La Verne urges residents to establish, maintain and expand water-saving habits. Simple, yet effective, water-saving actions include:
- Filling up your bathtub halfway or less which can save 17 to 25 gallons of water per bath per person.
- Fixing leaks around the house which can save 27 to 90 gallons of water each day.
- Installing aerators and high-efficiency toilets, saving 0.7 gallons per minute and 6 to 35 gallons per day respectively.
- Taking 5-minute showers which may save up to 12.5 gallons per shower.
- Recycling indoor water to irrigate your garden, reducing water usage by 30%.
- Washing only full loads of clothes and dishes to save up to 45 gallons per load.
“Since 2013, La Verne residents have reduced their water usage by 19%, but there are a lot of little things that we can do to further reduce our water usage,” said Public Works Director Shawn Igoe. “Creating these habits now means that La Verne residents can proactively be part of a long-term water solution that will help ensure all water resources, which are finite, are used responsibly.”
In addition to the water-saving tips mentioned above, La Verne residents can also check out the SoCal Water$mart business and residential water conservation rebate programs which include home improvements and upgrades to existing home appliances. Through this program, residents can get a rebate for a high-efficiency clothes washer that uses 55% less water, a premium high-efficiency toilet that uses nearly 20% less water, a leak detection device, weather-based irrigation controllers and more.
SoCal Water$mart also has a turf replacement program that removes homeowners’ existing grass and replaces it with organic, drought tolerant landscaping. Removing grass is one of the most water conscious adjustments a homeowner can make to reduce their water usage and their utility bills. This program ensures that there will be three plants per 100 square feet, a storm water retention feature, no hardscapes, and the replacement or modification of overhead spray sprinklers. Learn more about the turf replacement program here.
Over the years the State of California has enacted water legislation covering both outdoor and indoor water use with the goal of reducing individual water consumption and essentially making water conservation a regular part of everyday life. For example, beginning in 2022 the new indoor water standard will be 55 gallons per person per day, and by 2030 it will be 50 gallons per person per day. To put this in perspective, a typical bathtub can normally hold anywhere from 80 to 100 gallons of water. As water supplies become less reliable and new state standards come into play, the City of La Verne is confident that its residents can continue making strides toward reducing the community’s collective water use.